Coming Home
by My.Sweet.Obessions
Summary: Melody killed a man. And she's spent the last four years rotting away in a cell over it. But when the Ark selects 100 prisoners to be sent down to Earth, Melody is given another chance. The 100 are given a new start on Earth; if it's inhabitable after radiation destroyed everything nearly 100 years before. They must fight to survive; and they aren't quite as alone as they thought..
1. Chapter 1

**{ **Disclaimer: I do not own The 100, nor do I take credit for any of the characters/plotlines that were created by the show's producers. I take credit simply for my work and my original characters. **}**

**One**

Melody Pond killed a man.

She'd like to have been able to say that it was an accident, but that would have been a lie. Melody had in fact wielded the blade that ended the life of Doctor Jason Evans. She had been the one to drag the sharpened edge of the blade across the man's skin, slicing his throat open from left to right. And as the crimson colored blood had begun to pour from his throat and pool around her feet, Melody had felt no remorse. Only relief.

A nurse had found the two of them. Melody, leaning up against the wall with a bloody scalpel clutched in her hand. And the doctor, lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. The nurse was a screamer, Melody remembered. She'd screamed and she'd screamed and she'd screamed. _Murderer. You're a murderer. _Melody hadn't had a response for that. The woman spoke the truth; Melody Pond was in fact a murderer.

The guards had come for her then, and Melody hadn't resisted. What was the point? She'd -literally- been caught red handed. In cold blood. Even as the cold metal of the handcuffs had bit into her wrists and she'd been shoved not-so-gently down the hallway, Melody had remained silent and straight-faced. They'd led her to the Sky Box, the prison station of the Ark, and into the section that was reserved for juvenile delinquents. There they had thrown Melody into a cell and left her to rot.

For four whole years.

"Prisoner 071198."

As two armed guards stepped into the room, Melody's head snapped up and her green eyes narrowed. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her sheets as the girl slowly slid her way to the edge of the bed. The guards began to approach and yet Melody continued to sit on the bed, which was in reality nothing more than a thin mattress spread over a slab of metal that had been fused to the wall.

The gears in the girl's mind began to come to life, creaking slightly as they were in dire need of exercise. Now, why in the world would they be coming to her room in the middle of the day on a _Saturday_? Lunch had already been served. She wasn't due for an inspection. There was absolutely _no _visitation. So, what could it be? Understanding dawned on Melody all at once.

They were going to kill her.

A terrified look flashed across the girl's face as her grip on the bedspread tightening. The guards came closer and closer, closing the gap between them and the prisoner. When they were just a few steps away Melody suddenly jumped up and all but flew across the room, her messy fire-red hair streaming behind her. The cell was small and it wasn't long before she came to one of its four walls. Slightly discouraged, Melody turned around and pressed her back against the metal wall, eyes wide as she seemed to cringe away from the guards like a deer in headlights. She was, without a doubt, caught.

"I'm not eighteen yet." She said aloud, hating the slight quiver in her voice. It made her sound like a frightened child.

The rules of the Ark clearly stated that a prisoner could not be 'floated' before their eighteenth birthday. Floating was the Ark's most popular mode of punishment. It was a death sentence. And Melody was still seventeen for at least a few more months. There was no way that they could float her. It was against the law!

The guards said nothing as they continued to descend upon her. Their arms were outstretched, as if they meant to grab and detain her. Melody's eyes fell upon their weapons, which were holstered at their sides. Between the shock batons and the machine guns, Melody didn't stand a chance at escaping. Not that she _could _escape. She wasn't big, she wasn't strong. And where would she go, even if she did manage to make it out of the Sky Box alive?

The girl's green eyes were filled with fear as the guards reached for her. Their grips were iron-clad as each one of the guards grabbed one of her arms and pulled. They began to haul Melody towards the door, causing the girl's panic to spike even further. She didn't stand a chance.

"I _said_ I'm not eighteen!" Insisted Melody once more. Her head swung from side to side as she searched for any sign of understanding or compassion on the guard's faces. They were both stoic as they marched in sync. "You can't do this!"

They could do it. That was the scary part. Melody knew that they could do whatever they damn well pleased because _they _were the ones in charge and _she _was just a prisoner at their mercy. The most maddening part of it all was the silence from the guards as they dragged Melody out of her cell and into the hallway.

The moment she was in the hallway, Melody realized that she wasn't the only one in a state of panic. Dozens of voices could be heard shouting and arguing and pleading as one by one the prisoners were drawn out of their cells. The halls were full of guards in teams of two leading prisoners out of the Sky Box and towards another station.

Stunned into silence, the redhead shuffled along slowly. Her green gaze drank in the sight as countless prisoners marched along beside her, heading towards the next station. What could this mean? The chancellor couldn't float all of them at once. No, a few dozen teenage prisoners disappearing at once would surely raise questions and concerns. Was it quarantine then? Perhaps there was an outbreak of strep throat or the chicken pox. It had happened before, but not once since Melody had been alive.

For the last few years Melody had been 'out of the loop' so to speak. She was always one of the last to know what was going on. Apparently murderers didn't get roommates, nor did they get visitors. The only human interaction she'd had since being locked up was the few terse words exchanged with the guards who served her meals three times a day.

"I said," She began again, only to find herself being interrupted.

"You've _said_ enough." Snapped the guard to her left. "Shut it."

"You can't do this." She repeated, shaking her head. "You can't."

"You're not being floated."

"What?" Melody looked over at the guard in surprise, wondering if she heard him right. "You're not floating me?"

"No."

"Then what's going on?" She pressed, unsatisfied by his vague answers. "Why are you taking me out in the middle of the day? Why are you taking me out _at all_?"

"You and 99 other prisoners have been selected to undergo a mission for the good of the Ark." This time it was the other guard who spoke to her. If Melody wasn't mistaken, his voice held a slight twinge of sympathy.

_Thanks for the concern, _she thought bitterly.

A mission for the good of the Ark. The words painted a pretty picture, a picture of noble warriors riding off into battle. _For the good of the Ark. _In theory, maybe. But Melody knew the truth behind the carefully chosen words, words that had likely come from the mouth of the chancellor himself. Whatever this 'mission' might be, it wasn't going to be easy.

Melody forced herself to remain silent as the guards led her and countless others down the seemingly endless hallway. Absently she thought, _I don't remember it being this long before. _Granted the first time she'd walked down this hallway had been under different circumstances. Then, Melody had been a scared thirteen year old girl. A pitiful freckled-faced kid with big eyes and a life that was over before it had even began. Countless people had watched her trudge down that hallway, all of them thinking the same things.

_Why did she do it? _

_How did she do it? _

_She's just a kid._

And, most importantly; _she'll die in there. _

Killing someone was not exactly a forgivable offense. The only reason Melody hadn't been floated was because of her age. Some argued that she was too young to be floated. Launching a thirteen year old girl into space unprotected was simply inhumane. Others argued that murder was murder and she should be punished accordingly. They had argued back and forth, but eventually it had been decided that Melody would be put in The Sky Box until she was old enough to undergo another trial. And there she had sat for almost four years, until they decided to let her rejoin the world of the living.

They entered a new, larger room and the guards finally released Melody. She rubbed at her sore wrists absently as she looked around the room. It was a huge room with what looked to be some sort of small dropship sitting in the center of it. All around her, other prisoners were dressing and boarding the ship.

"Put this on."

A jacket hit Melody square in the chest and bounced off, falling to the floor. She bent over hastily and picked up the jacket before slipping it on over her gray tank top. It was a lightweight anorak jacket, probably made of cotton, which had been dyed a dark green color. The jacket zipped all the way up to her throat, but was decorated on either side with brass snap-buttons that held the pockets closed. It was a loose fit, but there was an inner drawcord that Melody pulled tight to cinch the waist accordingly.

"And these."

A pair of black leather combat boots were dropped in front of her carelessly. Melody looked down at her sock feet for a few moments before kneeling down to slide her feet into the boots. She laced them all the way up and then stood once more, wiggling her toes around inside of the boots. It was the first time in years that she'd been allowed to wear anything other than the custom tank top and jeans. She couldn't recall the last time she'd been permitted to wear a pair of shoes on her feet.

Melody straightened up once more and looked over at the guard, awaiting further instruction. The guard only looked up briefly from where he was digging through a pile of clothes. His gaze scanned Melody once before he shook his head and said simply, "Cuff her."

Once again fear struck Melody so hard that she felt the urge to run. When it came to the fight or flight response, she had a bit of trouble with the 'fight' part. She blamed her mother, who was just as small and scrawny as Melody herself. A mother who, with the best intentions in mind, had drilled into her daughter's head that women were not powerful enough to fight. Ladies were meant to be sweet and docile and good-natured.

The guard took one step forward and Melody took one back. She would have taken another if not for the second guard stepping forward to hold her still. Melody thrashed her body from side to side, desperate to escape as the first guard drew closer. She could remember all too well the feeling of the metal hand cuffs cutting into her wrists. It made her feel helpless and confined, at the mercy of the guards. Which she was, regardless.

"Please…please." She begged, practically shaking as she cringed backwards, away from the approaching guard.

Her eyes slipped shut as the guard came to a stop in front of her. Melody felt him grab her arm, and then he was 'cuffing' her, as one of the other guards had put it. A surprised yelp pushed past her lips as she felt the prickling of tiny needles piercing her skin along the inside of the cuff. Her green eyes flew open and she stared down at her wrist in surprise. She wasn't wearing a set of handcuffs, but rather a single silver bracelet.

"It's to monitor your vitals on Earth." Explained the guard, who was tampering with the bracelet. A few moments later a green light flickered on. "There. All set."

"Earth?" Melody gaped at the man as she was led away. "Did he just say _Earth_?"

The second guard led her towards the dropship that sat in the middle of the room. It was an old exodus ship, one of the ones that they kept stored away for when the human race could one day return to Earth. But that was impossible right now. Earth had been inhabitable for decades. The nuclear wars had wiped out all life and left the planet irradiated beyond belief. It would be _centuries _before any of them could return.

All at once the reality of the 'mission' hit Melody like a ton of bricks. They weren't being sent away to defend the Ark; they were being sent away to _die._ A mission 'for the good of the Ark.' This was a mass murder.

Melody sat down hard in one of the seats, still trying to wrap her mind around the whole thing. _They're sending us away to die. _The thought was so disturbing that it chilled her to the bone. Her movements were jerky and almost robotic as she buckled herself into the cushioned seat. _I'm going to die. _Those words echoed in the girl's mind as she sat back against the seat, almost to the point of shaking with fear.

"Isn't this exciting?"

Her head snapped to the side, green eyes narrowing at the boy who sat beside her. He appeared to be her age, give or take a year or so. He had big brown eyes that matched his messy hair and for some reason wore an excited grin on his face. The boy didn't look afraid. In fact, he looked exhilarated. He looked _alive. _

"We're going to Earth." Melody said the words as if they should explain everything. As if somehow they would cause understanding to dawn on the boy's face as he realized his fate. She waited for that look of understanding, the look of fear, but it never came.

"I know." The brunette sent Melody a wicked grin. "I'm Jasper Jordan."

It was a nice name, the kind of name that just slipped off of your tongue. Jasper Jordan. It had a nice ring to it.

"Uh…Melody." She said quietly, thinking to herself that it didn't _matter _what their names were. They were all about to die. And for some reason she was the only one who seemed concerned by the fact.

What was _wrong _with these people? Didn't they realize what this meant? As Melody looked around the dropship she was surprised to find a lot of excited faces. A few of the other prisoners looked nervous, but those who did were few and far between. Most of the others were talking animatedly and voicing their excitement for the upcoming journey.

"You do realize what this means, right? Us going to Earth." Pressed Melody, raising her eyebrows at the boy who was practically _bouncing _in his seat.

His excitement was pointless. Even if they did manage to survive the landing to Earth -and that was a big _if_ \- the radiation would kill them as soon as they set foot on the planet. This was not a win-win situation. It wasn't a time to celebrate and make plans for the future. They had no future.

"Yeah." When he nodded and turned to look at her, Jasper somehow managed to knock the pair of goggles off of his head. They fell down and covered his face, causing the boy to laugh softly before he raised them to peek over at Melody. "This is a fresh start."

Before Melody could utter another word, a large monitor towards the front of the dropship suddenly switched on. She watched with little interest as a video of the chancellor began to stream, silencing the rest of the prisoners. Chancellor Jaha was a middle-aged man with dark skin and equally dark eyes which seemed to look right through a person. He always wore a somewhat grave expression on his face, even when he was trying to be uplifting and positive. He had always intimidated Melody.

The man on the screen spoke calmly and seriously as he explained to them the purpose and the goals of the 'mission' they were about to embark on. Melody, along with 99 other prisoners, were going to be sent down to Earth to see if the planet was inhabitable. Their job was to keep on the bracelets they had been given, which would monitor their vitals and send the data back up to the Ark. If it was safe, the rest of the people on the Ark would come down to join them. If it wasn't, then it really sucked to be the 100.

"This is so epic." Jasper said, his words and his grin directed at another boy who sat in a seat across the dropship. The other boy had shaggy black hair and kind eyes. Although he looked a bit more reserved, he wore a smile that mirrored Jasper's.

"Jasper, we could _die._" Melody finally said, her green eyed wide and confused. "Don't you realize that?"

As if to prove her point, the ship suddenly jumped to life. There was a slight rocking movement accompanied by the whirring noise of the engine. On the screen, the chancellor wished all of them luck before the broadcast cut out and the screen went black. The noises of the ship grew louder and louder until it was all that any of them could hear. A few moments later the hatch was opened and the ship was unceremoniously released into space.

It felt like they were falling for a moment. Melody's stomach dropped and her grip on her harness tightened to the point that her knuckles turned white. Bit by bit the sound of the engine died down, until it was little more than a dull roar. The dropship began to float towards Earth, on a predetermined route that had been programmed into the mainframe. There was no turning back now, not that any of them would have had the option.

Over the sound of the engine, Melody could hear people laughing. The clinking sound of seatbelts being unbuckled caused her head to turn towards the direction of a few prisoners. One of them had undid his buckles and was floating in the air. _Spacewalker, _they called him. Others began to follow suit.

_They'll be the first to go, _Melody thought sadly with a shake of her head.

When the initial shock from the take-off was over, Melody seemed to have captured Jasper's attention once more. He gave her a funny look that must have mirrored her own just minutes before.

"Don't you get it, Melody?" Asked the optimistic boy as he continued to bounce his knee excitedly, smile in place once more. "No more days and nights spent rotting away in our cells. We're not coming down here to die. We could have done that just fine on the Ark. We're coming down here to _live._"

Melody hadn't had the chance to think of the situation as being even remotely positive. But now that Jasper had mentioned it, she had to admit that in a way he was right. She had spent the last four years locked up in a cell with no contact with the outside world. Now, she was in a dropship surrounded by ninety-nine other teenagers and nothing holding them back. Wasn't this what she had wanted for as long as she could remember?

Jasper's way of thinking was certainly more appealing. Definitely less 'gloom and doom.' Yet it was still hard for Melody to accept his way of thinking. All of his optimistic ideas revolved around a big _if. _If they made it to Earth. If they survived the radiation. If they managed to find supplies to get them through.

"Relax, Mel. We're gonna make it." Said Jasper, who had seen the worried look on Melody's face. "Trust me."

The look on his face was a look of pure determination. Although the odds were definitely stacked against them, Jasper had yet to lose hope. He was positive that they were going to make it out of this alive.

Maybe, Melody thought, she shouldn't have given up so soon.

"Alright." Melody gave a small nod and released a shaky breath. "I…I trust you."

Melody willed herself to be optimistic. To add to the effort, she forced herself to give Jasper a smile that was half-hearted at best. In return, the boy reached out and offered his balled up fist to her. Melody shyly extended her own hand to bump knuckles with the boy. A somewhat genuine smile lingered on her face as she thought of how surreal all of this was. The action of 'bumping knuckles' was so purely _teenage. _How long had it been since she was allowed to just be a teenager instead of a prisoner?

Just as their fists were about to connect, the ship lurched. Melody let out a shrill shriek as she felt the ship dropping once more, causing her body to jerk against the harness that held her to the seat. They were no longer floating through space, but rather plummeting towards the ground at an alarming rate. The only thing that Melody thought could have made this happen was if the dropship had entered the Earth's atmosphere.

A hand wrapped around her wrist tightly, and Melody turned her head to look at Jasper once more. The smile had vanished from the boy's face and was replaced with, for the first time, an alarmed look. His brown eyes were wide and he looked as if all of the color had been drained from his face. His gaze flickered across the ship, towards his friend from earlier. Once the other boy had flashed him a reassuring thumbs-up, Jasper focused all of his attention on Melody. His grip on her wrist tightened, as if he thought that by holding onto her he could somehow ensure her safety.

"Mel?" Jasper's voice sounded as anxious as he felt. He was waiting for her to give him the okay.

Melody drew in a deep breath and forced herself to give him a small nod. Jasper's grip on her wrist lessened only a tiny fraction. Her eyes slipped shut as she leaned her head back to rest it against the seat. Her heart was hammering against her ribcage, unwilling to be still no matter how much she tried to convince herself to be calm. Melody tried to focus on her breathing, which was slightly ragged, but focusing on any one thing in that moment was proving to be more difficult than she imagined.

All around her it sounded like things were falling apart. There was the sound of crashing and grinding, metal on metal and things breaking apart. Melody wouldn't have been surprised if the whole ship was getting ready to crumble. It was so old and the conditions of the Earth's atmosphere were unpredictable. All Melody could do was cringe backwards against the seat, as if by making herself smaller she could somehow survive the crash landing.

The sound of people screaming had Melody's eyes flying open. Something warm and heavy fell against her side, weighing her down. When Melody looked to her right she had to stifle a scream at the sight of a limp body belonging to one of the 'spacewalkers.' He hadn't been strapped into his seat when they entered the atmosphere and thus he'd suffered an injury to the head which had apparently killed him. With her free hand Melody shoved the body away from her before shivering and drawing further within herself.

Sparks flew everywhere. Bright flashes of golden orange bounced off of pieces of metal that were rubbing against each other. And then, the electricity failed. More screams echoed throughout the dropship when its inhabitants were enveloped in complete darkness. Melody drew in a sharp breath and clenched her jaw, willing herself not to cry out like the rest of them. Despite being seventeen years old, she was still very afraid of the dark. Bad things happened in the dark, when you had nobody to protect you.

The lights came back on, but only momentarily before they began to flicker again. Melody glanced over at Jasper. He was leaning back against his own seat, eyes squeezed tightly shut. His grip on her wrist was still just as tight as it had been before. Melody's fingers wrapped around his arm and she gave it a tight, reassuring squeeze. She was rewarded with a smile from the boy that she was quickly coming to depend on. The only constant right now was Jasper and the feel of his hand on hers. Jasper was steady. He was stable. He was the only thing that Melody was 100% sure of right now.

The lights flickered on and off, on and off, on and off. _Shouldn't we have landed by now? _Melody wondered to herself, trying not to revert to panicking once more. They had been within the gravitational pull of the Earth for a few minutes now. It should have been a straight drop after that, right to the surface. Melody assumed that the Ark would have equipped the dropship with something to slow their landing, but whatever it was it wasn't working. They were still heading towards the surface at full speed and everyone was _finally _panicking, as Melody had wanted all along.

"Jasper, shouldn't we have landed?" Melody's voice was loud over the sound of the commotion in the dropship. Everyone else seemed to be wondering the same question.

"It could take a few moments for the parachutes to deploy! Don't worry." Instructed a voice that did not belong to Jasper Jordan.

Melody sighed to herself and repeated the boy's words over and over again in her mind. _Don't worry. Don't worry. Don't-_

She was jarred from her thoughts when she felt the dropship suddenly begin to slow. The boy was right; the parachutes had just needed a few moments in order to deploy. Melody let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding and silently thanked whatever God there might be that they had managed to slow down. For a few minutes there she had thought that they were all goners.

They still hadn't escaped danger. They were simply falling at a slower pace than they had been before. Yet for some reason the slight change of pace seemed to ease their minds. The screaming came to an abrupt stop, although the slight twinge of panic remained in their voices. No one could guess at what waited for them down on Earth, but at least they weren't going to crash into its surface and go up in flames.

The dropship began to slow down and then suddenly it was coming to a stop. A loud _thud _noise filled the air and seemed to reverberate throughout Melody's bones as she was jerked against the straps once more. Finally, the ship stilled and everyone inside of it fell silent. They all seemed to be thinking the same thing.

_What next? _

A few minutes passed before anyone made an attempt to move. The landing hadn't been too hard on any of them. A few might have sustained minor scrapes and bruises or, like Melody, whiplash from seatbelts that were too loose. What kept them all in their seats was the sheer shock and relief at being alive. At first none of them moved, and then everything seemed to be happening all at once.

"Mel, you good?" Jasper's voice was a bit shaky as he turned to look at her. His grip on her hand had tightened significantly throughout the course of the landing and now she realized that it was almost to the point of pain.

"I'm fine, Jasper." Melody pried her hand away from his and then leaned forward to unbuckle herself from the seat. It was slightly amusing how often the two of them seemed to switch roles since they'd met. One moment Melody was being the worrisome mother hen, and in the next Jasper was the one making sure _she_ was alright.

"Alright. Cool." Replied Jasper, who had copied her actions and was leaning forward to undo his own straps as quickly as possible. When Jasper stood up he wobbled slightly and had to reach out to brace his hand against the wall to keep from falling. Melody wasn't surprised by this; her own legs felt like a pile of Jell-O.

By the time Melody had unbuckled and was standing up, a third person had joined their little party. He introduced himself as Monty Green. He was the boy that Jasper had been talking to from across the ship, the one that he'd wanted to make sure was alright when the ship had begun to fall. Judging from the friendly embrace8 that the two boys shared, Melody could only assume that they were close.

"Monty, this is Melody." Jasper introduced the two before reaching out to draw Melody into a side-hug. His arm remained draped over her shoulder comfortably as he continued talking with the other boy, Monty. "She's with us now."

For the first time in a long time, Melody found herself grinning as she leaned against Jasper's side. His words warmed her through. _She's with us now. _Melody repeated the words in her mind and decided that she liked them. She'd never been 'with' anyone before. She kind of felt like she had been taken under Jasper's wing. And it was a good feeling. For the first time since she'd been locked up, Melody actually had a friend.

Things began to be set in motion when people started to get out of their seats. The delinquents broke off into groups and began talking, all of them wondering what the next step was. Melody, Jasper, and Monty got swept up in a large crowd that was moving towards the front of the dropship. Too short to see what was happening up front, Melody had to stand up on her tiptoes to make out the shapes ahead. She thought she saw people heading for the door.

"We can't just open the doors!"

Moments after the feminine voice rang out, a girl was shoving past Melody to get to the front. Mel didn't recognize the girl, but then again she didn't recognize many people. All she saw was the girl's back, but she could tell that the girl was both slender and blonde.

"Hey, back it up guys!" A new voice rang out, this one deeper and full of authority.

Like with the blonde girl, all Melody could see was the guy's back as he faced the door. At first, anyways. She watched as the blonde strode up to him, prompting the man to turn around and scowl at her.

He was older than the rest of them, but not by much. He was taller than the other boys, and he was broader than them too. He could have only been a handful of years older than Melody and the other delinquents on the ship. His skin was a darker shade of tan and he had hair that was thick, curly, and black. His dark brown eyes shone with a fierceness as he glared down at the blonde girl in front of him.

"The air could be toxic." She pointed out, her voice sounding slightly frantic. It reminded Melody of how she had sounded earlier, when trying to convince Jasper that he should be worried. She could definitely sympathize with the girl.

"If the air is toxic, we're all dead anyways." He retorted simply, hardly even giving the girl a second thought before he began to move towards the door once again.

Melody held her breath as she waited to see what would happen. Either he would succeed on opening the door, or the girl would fight him on it. There would be a power struggle in the near future, Melody guessed. They were both trying to take charge. The two of them looked like they had leadership potential, but they obviously didn't go about it the same way.

Just when things looked like they were about to get heated, a new voice rang out.

"Bellamy?"

The voice belonged to a girl. Melody's head slowly swung to the side, as did the most of the heads in the crowd. It was yet another girl that Melody didn't know, but this one looked familiar. She looked eerily like the boy at the door. They had more similarities than Melody had ever seen between two people from the Ark, and that was saying something because they _all _sort of looked alike.

"Octavia."

The two of them embraced, and murmurs went up among the crowd. Octavia Blake! The girl that they'd found hiding under the floorboards. That was why the two of them looked so alike; they were siblings. Something that was forbidden on the Ark. One child per household, that was the rule. When the rules were broken, the parents were floated and the child was locked up. That must have been Octavia's case.

As the murmurs grew louder and people began openly shouting about it, Octavia grew irritable. She turned and lunged for the crowd, but the guy, Bellamy, pulled her back. He said something to soothe her, placing both hands on her face, but the disgruntled teen wasn't content to be consoled.

"Come on. Let's give them something else to remember you by." Said Bellamy.

"Like what?" Octavia scowled, casting a fleeting glance over her shoulder at the crowd that had formed around them.

"Like being the first person on the ground in a hundred years."

He pulled the lever that opened up the dropship door,

and they were home.


	2. Chapter 2

**Two**

It was breathtaking.

Melody had pushed herself to the front of the crowd in order to stand at the front of the dropship. She stared out at the strange new world in awe, slack-jawed. She stood sandwiched between the dark-haired male, Bellamy, and the blonde girl whose name she still didn't know. Looking between the two, she noted that their reactions couldn't have been more different. Bellamy looked overjoyed. The blonde girl looked almost scared.

No one spoke as they all slowly took in their surroundings. They just stood there watching and listening and breathing it all in. Earth had the loveliest scent that Melody had ever encountered. It smelled of sunlight and soil and everything green. Best of all, it was warm. _Real _warmth, not the synthetic stuff produced on the Ark. Melody could feel the sunlight bathing her skin as she lingered near the front of the dropship.

Without thinking, Melody took a step forward. She hadn't even made it a full step before a strong hand was pressing against her hip, holding her in place. The girl tensed, her head snapping towards the owner of the wandering hand. Her green eyes narrowed at Bellamy, who was openly glaring at her. Their gazes clashed and the two of them seemed absorbed in a silent battle. Melody understood why Bellamy Blake was holding her back. This was a moment he had promised to Octavia. But now he was crossing unspoken boundaries.

Their eyes remained locked until Bellamy ever so slowly lowered his hand from her hip. He looked away first, turning his attention back towards Octavia. The girl had made her way towards the edge of the lowered dropship door and was staring out at the forest in fascination.

It seemed to Melody that they all held their breath as Octavia took the first hesitant step off of the door and onto the ground. _We did it_, Melody thought to herself with a surprised smile. The girl let out a shaky laugh as she watched Octavia throw her hands in the air victoriously.

"We're back, bitches!"

The air was filled with the sound of whooping and laughter as the 100 filed out of the dropship. It seemed as if they couldn't move fast enough. People were tripping over themselves in order to get outside. They all wanted to know the feeling of the ground beneath their boots. They wanted to run their fingers through the green leaves and they wanted to fill their lungs up with the sweet, sweet oxygen that had been deprived of them on the Ark.

They wanted to truly _live. _

While the others ran forward, whooping and shouting as they explored their new home, Melody tentatively crept towards the edge of the dropship door. Her gaze fell upon the ground below them and she watched it closely, as if afraid it might all disappear in the blind of an eye. _We made it. _They were on Earth. Earth, the inhabitable planet. Against all odds they had landed safely and they weren't being affected by any sort of radiation. They had completed the Ark's mission; they were free.

Melody continued to stare at the ground below her. It looked so soft, yet firm. The dark soil was laced with patches of bright green. It took Melody a few moments to identify the somewhat foreign plant. _Grass. _It was grass. She had made it to Earth and she was surrounded by real, live grass. It was an extremely strange thought, but one that delighted her nonetheless. Grass! It was grass! The Ark had dirt to grow their crops, but they didn't have grass. Grass was a plant that grew naturally on the forest floor. It was something that Melody had only ever read about in books.

Suddenly, she wanted to touch it. She wanted to just lay down in the middle of the field and roll around on the ground. She wanted to pick the grass and feel how soft or how rough it was. She wanted to gather the soil and let it filter through her fingers. She wanted it _all._ The need to do everything at once was almost overwhelming.

Just as Melody went to take the step that would put her on the ground, she found her feet suddenly swept out from underneath her as she was wrapped up in Jasper's strong embrace.

"We made it Mel!"

Jasper swung her around and around in countless circles until Melody's head was spinning and she was laughing loudly. One of his arms was wrapped around her back and the other was supporting her bent knees. Melody was struck by the realization that she had never been _this close _with someone before. She had never interacted with another human being in such a way. It was fun. Weightless. It made her giddy and filled her with a childlike sense of joy.

"We made it." He repeated as the two of them staggered to a slow stop. "We made it."

Melody wrapped one arm loosely around Jasper's shoulders and threw the other in the air, victorious. "We made it!"

"Hey, I made it too." Teased Monty, who had come up behind them. "You aren't the only two people in the world, you know."

Melody laughed in response. She slid out of Jasper's arms and slowly, but surely, made her way over towards Monty. They had twirled one too many times and she was left staggering as a result. Once the world stopped spinning, Melody stumbled into Monty and gripped his arm tightly, partially to steady herself and partially just to establish some sort of contact between the two of them. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel left out.

"We made it, Monty!" Amended Melody, reaching up to ruffle the boy's hair. Of course Monty laughed and ducked away from her, half-heartedly whining about how she was going to mess up his hair. But the grin that spread across his face let Melody know that he was happy that she'd included him.

"Are we going to sit here talking about how we made it?" Asked Jasper. "Or are we going to get out there and see what all the fuss is about?"

"You're right." Jasper's words had pulled Melody back to reality and once more her attention was focused on the world around them.

It was still so surreal to think that they had actually made it to Earth. Melody had always been infatuated with the world that had once been -and would again be- home to the human race. She loved learning about the plants and the animals and the way the world had once worked. Earth skills had been one of her favorite classes when she was younger. Yet what she'd been taught in class wasn't what she was experiencing now. They had been taught that the radiation from the nuclear wars wiped out everything in its path. Perhaps once it _had_, but now everything looked…well, it looked normal. A little overgrown maybe, but normal.

Either the radiation on the planet was killing her very, _very _slowly or it was gone. Melody wasn't an expert on the subject, but if she had to guess than she would guess the latter. A century seemed like enough time for the radiation to disappear or whatever, restoring the Earth to its normal state of being. And if it wasn't gone, shouldn't they all have dropped dead the moment the dropship doors were open?

The three of them began to wander aimlessly, taking in their surroundings. They'd been dropped in the middle of an overgrown forest. The trees were so tall that Melody had to lean backwards and crane her neck just to look up at them. Even then she couldn't see where the trees ended and the sky began. Some were so thick in diameter that she couldn't even wrap her arms around them. Green leaves hung from the branches in thick patches, sometimes accompanied by green vine-like plants that connected the trees with massive green canopies.

"Isn't this amazing?" Asked Melody, speaking more to herself than to the boys.

She ran her hand along the rough bark of the nearest tree. The feeling was foreign, but it was close to what Melody had imagined bark to feel like. She ran her fingers up the length of the tree base to caress the leaves of the low-hanging branches. Thoroughly fascinated, Melody plucked one of the green leaves from its spot on the branch and brought it closer for examination.

On the Ark there had only been one tree, cultivated in a section of the ship that Melody had never even stepped foot on. Not everyone was allowed the same luxuries on the Ark. Melody and many others had been deprived of seeing anything even remotely linked to nature. Because of this, she'd spent countless hours poring over various books that focused on the Earth's environment. The faded pictures paled in comparison to the real thing.

"This _is_ amazing." Jasper agreed. "If we can find the right herbs…"

He trailed off and looked over at Monty. The other boy wore a grin that stretched from ear to ear and the two of them snickered quietly as they continued to walk along. Melody felt puzzled by the exchange, but she was too absorbed in stroking the tender leaf in her hands that she didn't care to ask any questions.

The books she'd read on the Ark were proving to come in handy as Melody thought of all the possible ways they could put the vegetation to good use. There had to be some plants that were edible. And if not, surely they could at least make some variant of tree-bark soup. It sounded and probably tasted horrible, but if they couldn't find any animals…if there _weren_'_t _any animals, then they would have to find something to sustain themselves. Lots of soups could be made from the things littering the forest floors.

If they were lucky, maybe they could find some fruit bearing trees. Apples or oranges or bananas…bushes filled with berries or nuts. It was wishful thinking after everything the Earth had been put through in the last century, but Melody remained hopeful that _some_ things had stayed the same. Did trees still produce sap? Maybe they could find a way to tap into it and start collecting. She knew that it could easily be made into syrup, what with a bit of boiling water. And water would be easy to boil if they could only make a fire. How hard could it be? Rubbing two sticks together. And if they got a fire maybe they could have torches and lamps…

She was getting ahead of herself. Melody didn't even know how long they would last on this strange planet. The thought of still being there when winter rolled around was both frightening and exhilarating. She'd never experienced the change of the seasons on the Ark. She'd never felt the rain against her skin, she'd never jumped in a pile of leaves, never made a snowman or jumped into a lake on a hot day. Melody wanted to do all of those things so badly that she could taste it. And yet, she was afraid. Afraid of not knowing what lay ahead, afraid of not knowing how to survive in this strange new world.

If they wanted to survive on Earth, they were going to need to get to the supplies that Chancellor Jaha had mentioned. They were in an old bunker or something, on a mountain. It was up to them to find it. And if they didn't…well, Melody didn't want to think about that. They were also going to have to learn how to make the basic essentials. Weapons, for starters. She wasn't sure how many of the 100 were survivalists, but she wouldn't guess very many. At least Melody had a little bit of knowledge. She knew about a lot of the plants, which were safe to eat and which could be turned into medicine. A small tidbit of information, but one that she hoped would be useful later on.

The only thing that could have snapped Melody out of her daze was the sound of Jasper's loud and slightly panicked voice. Her green gaze shot towards the boy, who was standing in front of the dropship. He'd been talking to the blonde girl, the one whose name Melody had never learned. The one who hadn't wanted them to open the doors. Right now her name wasn't important, nor was her cause, nor was _anything _about her. All Melody could focus on was another guy's hand as it wrapped itself around Jasper's arm to shove him roughly away from the girl. The sight of Jasper being roughly manhandled by the other guy sparked something deep inside of her, some sort of primal instinct. For the first time in her life, Melody had the urge to stay and fight rather than flee.

Green eyes narrowed as she looked at the bully, a dark-skinned giant with a fierceness in his brown eyes. She knew him immediately; Wells Jaha, the chancellor's son. On the Ark he had practically ruled, but down here…down here he was no one special. No one important. He couldn't just go around calling the shots and doing whatever he wanted. Melody suddenly had the urge to make him realize that. She didn't know _how_, but she didn't stop to think about it.

She had only taken a few steps in their direction when Monty's arm shot out and blocked her path. When Melody went to move past him, that same arm wound itself tightly around her midsection and Monty pulled her close.

"Hey!" Melody protested, sending him a sharp look. "What gives?"

"Melody." Monty's voice was low and serious. "You don't want to go over there."

He tilted his head in that direction once more, and for the first time Melody realized that there were others gathering around the scene. A small pack of boys, all of them big and beefy and looking like they wanted any excuse to get their hands bloody. There had to be at least ten of them standing around Wells and Jasper. Their leader was a tall, well-built boy with sandy brown hair that he wore brushed back away from his face. To Melody, he looked like any of the rest of them. He looked _normal._

And then he opened his mouth.

"Hands off him, Chancellor Jr. He's with us." The boy said.

His voice was dark and commanding. He wasn't _asking_; he was giving Wells an order. And yet, he didn't sound as if he wanted the other boy to listen to him. In fact, he almost sounded as if he wanted Wells to defy him. It was if he was looking for any excuse to beat, or maybe even kill, the boy who had once held such an important title on the Ark. People could be bitter and resentful towards not only the chancellor, but anyone involved with him. Simply out of jealousy. But this wasn't the Ark. Down here, there were no social classes. They were all _criminals. _Some just happened to be more dangerous than others.

Much to Melody's surprise, Wells released Jasper. He turned to look at the leader of the misfits with his hands raised in a universal sign for surrender. Some of the other boys seemed to visibly deflate, as if upset that there wasn't going to be a fight.

"Relax. We're not looking for trouble." Wells said calmly. "Just trying to figure out where we are."

"We're on the ground." Said Bellamy firmly. "That not enough for you?"

He seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. One moment he was nowhere to be seen and in the next he was standing amidst a small crowd that had gathered to watch the scene. By his side stood Octavia, who was watching silently but with an almost bored expression on her face. It was obvious that she didn't care about any of this.

Melody decided to tune out the rest of the conversation. She wasn't interested in a pissing contest. She didn't care _who_ came out on top. All she cared about was making sure Jasper was alright. She strode the last few feet that separated them, with Monty in tow, and the two of them stopped just before Jasper who was standing away from the crowd now.

"Are you alright, Jasper?" Asked Melody, her voice laced with concern as she looked him over for any sign of outwardly harm. "Did he hurt you?"

Melody didn't have much experience in the friends department, considering the fact that she'd never really had any. But one thing she did know was that you were supposed to stick up for your friends no matter what. Even if you were afraid, even if you couldn't fight your way out of a wet paper bag, even if you were a scrawny redhead, you still had to try. And so, when Wells had challenged one of the only two friends she had, Melody took it personally.

It was hard to explain the connection she felt with Jasper. The two of them had met less than an hour ago and yet Melody knew that if asked, she would follow him to the ends of the Earth. She'd almost gotten into her first fight _ever _over him, and simply on a whim. That wasn't like Melody, but she felt a sense of loyalty towards the boy. He'd been there for her during the crash landing. He had been the one to hold her hand and tell her it was going to be okay. He had made her smile when she was scared. He had made her laugh when it seemed impossible. Jasper was her friend and that meant something to Melody.

"I'm fine, Mel." When Melody didn't look convinced, Jasper held out his arms and spun in a slow circle. "See? Not a scratch on me."

Melody was satisfied.

She turned her attention back towards the small gathering of people. Once she had eased her way to the front of the crowd, she could make out the conversation. Bellamy and Blondie were going at it again, arguing over what was best for the group. Blondie thought that they should all go out and look for supplies in a place she called _Mount Weather. _Bellamy thought that Blondie and Wells, as the two _privileged _members of the group, should go by themselves. No matter how much Blondie and Wells tried to talk sense into Bellamy, who wouldn't budge. And no one else seemed to agree with them, either.

Someone shoved Melody aside as they strode to the front of the group. She stumbled slightly, only to be caught and steadied by both Jasper and Monty who had been standing right beside her. A frown tugged at her lips and she rubbed at her aching shoulder while watching the leader of the misfit boys stroll into the mix of people. He wore a sinister smile on his face as he came to a stop in front of Wells.

The boy lurched forward and shoved Wells away from him. The leader mocked Wells, calling him _The Chancellor of Earth. _Melody's stomach twisted at the sight. You had the leader, with a sort of bloodlust in his eyes, and then you had Wells who looked weary and unwilling to fight. It was obvious that he wanted to solve their problems with words. She didn't know much about him, but she _did_ know that if she had to choose for someone to make the rules, she would pick Wells over the other guy any day.

The leader knocked Wells' feet out from under him next, with a single swipe. It was surprising how weak and defenseless Wells looked as he lay there, sprawled out on his back. Much to Melody's surprise, he got back up. He scurried to his feet and then began to back away, leaning heavily on his right leg. Both hands came up to protect his face as he turned towards the leader boy once more, ready for the fight. And despite Wells' limp, the other boy advanced, looking eager.

All of a sudden, a boy dropped down from the top of the dropship and put himself between Wells and the leader. As he stood up and brushed back his shaggy hair, there was a chorus of delighted 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from the crowd. The boy looked pleased, maybe even a little smug as he stood there, waiting with his hands in the pockets of his jacket.

"Kid's got one leg." The boy pointed out. "How about you wait until it's a fair fight?"

There were a few moments of hesitation. The leader looked like he would rather go up against both of them than back down. It was his type, Melody supposed. Arrogant punk who cares more about putting on a decent show than about being a decent person. She half expected him to say 'screw it' and go for both of them. And yet, he slowly eased his way away from the crowd with an annoyed huff.

Octavia came strolling up to the shaggy-haired boy as soon as the show was over with a taunting, "Hey, Spacewalker. How about you rescue me next?"

_Spacewalker. _He was the one who had climbed out of his seat in order to 'spacewalk' before the dropship had come into contact with a gravitational pull. He was the one who had made it look cool, resulting in the death of two or three other delinquents. Whatever bit of respect Melody had for him, respect gained when he stood up for Wells, faded away as she realized this.

All at once the crowd dispersed in a fit of laughter, everyone going their own separate ways. The little brawl had been nothing more than a means of entertainment, a way to curb both their curiosity and boredom. And if they had been taking it seriously before, Octavia succeeded in turning the whole thing into a joke. A joke that she was paying for, as Bellamy angrily dragged her away from the rest of the delinquents.

Melody didn't really know what she was supposed to do next. She trailed after Jasper and Monty like a lost little puppy. They had joined a few of the others, some boys that Melody didn't recognize.

"Hey guys, this is Mel." Monty introduced as she joined their little group. "Melody, these are our friends, Jacob and Fletcher."

The boys were quick to reintroduce themselves as Jake and Fletch. Melody smiled at them and shook each of their hands in turn. It was an action that felt entirely foreign, but it was what they expected of her and so she did it.

"You guys knew each other on the Ark?" Asked Melody. Small talk wasn't really her forte, but she was making an attempt.

"Oh we go _way _back." Said Jake. "Took the same classes in school."

"And what about you, Mel?" Asked the one they called Fletch. "Surely I would remember a face as pretty as yours."

It should have been a smooth pick up line. And, paired with the charming smile he sent her way, it should have made Melody's heart race. Maybe she would have even blushed if not for the fact that her gut suddenly tightened in fear and she found it difficult to breathe. Talk about heart racing. There it was, the crippling fear of being exposed for what she was; a murderer.

What did she tell them? That she'd killed a man? That was entirely out of the question. And yet, what other excuse could she give for why she, a seventeen year old girl, had never been to high school?

"I, uh…" She trailed off, palms sweating. She tried swallowing down the lump that seemed to have formed in her throat, but it was useless. "Well, it's kind of complicated…"

Melody found that she didn't have to answer. At that moment the one they called Spacewalker came up and pulled Monty and Jasper away from their little group. Melody felt entirely vulnerable with no one by her side, and so she quickly apologized to Fletch and Jake before excusing herself.

She found them circled around Blondie, their heads together as they discussed something. Putting two and two together, she assumed that they were trying to recruit people for the Mount Weather expedition. Why else would Blondie be gathering troops?

Melody walked up just in time to hear Octavia say, "Make it five."

Five of them were going? And strangely, Wells was nowhere in sight despite how hard he'd been fighting for the cause earlier. It was just Blondie, Spacewalker, Monty, Jasper, and Octavia. And now Melody.

She didn't know much about what she was getting herself into as she stepped forward. All she knew was that she couldn't let her two new friends go off on an adventure all by themselves. More importantly, she couldn't let them leave _her _all by _herself. _And so, there was only one solution to her problem.

"No." Melody said, giving a small shake of her head. "Make it six."


	3. Chapter 3

**Three**

Five out of six members of the exploration team were in no hurry to reach Mount Weather. They took their time, dawdling in the late afternoon sunshine and making several stops to pick wildflowers whenever they happened to pop up through the never-ending sea of overgrown grass. Earth was unlike anything they'd ever seen before; its beauty was indescribable and the opportunity for adventure seemed endless.

The only person who seemed to have a problem with their less than average pace was their self-appointed leader. _Blondie._ The others called her Clarke.

"Hey, guys. Would you try to keep up?" Clarke called over her shoulder. Clearly she was irritated by the fact that they would rather be messing around and discussing something like _poison sumac_ instead of looking for this mountain.

Melody's brow furrowed and she let the freshly picked flower slip between her fingers. It fluttered down gently and landed by one of her boots, where she gently nudged it away before continuing on. Their pace was slightly brisker now, in an attempt to keep up with Clarke. She didn't seem intent on slowing down for any of them.

Despite the fact that she knew gathering supplies should be their first priority, Melody couldn't help but to feel slightly annoyed by Clarke's constant pestering. She wasn't bothered by the fact that Clarke had taken charge. Someone had to do it, after all. And Melody was no stranger to being a follower rather than a leader. What bothered her was the fact that Clarke seemed to be completely oblivious towards everything that was going on around them.

"How do you block this all out?" Questioned Finn, the one that they called Spacewalker. He seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Melody. It was difficult to make note of everything they saw, but it was even harder to ignore it.

Clarke paused in her walking and let out a barely audible huff.

"It's simple." She said, her words laced with impatience. "I wonder, why haven't we seen any animals? Maybe it's because there _are_none. Maybe we've already been exposed to enough radiation to kill us."

Clarke looked at the five of them in turn with those hardened blue eyes, her gaze reminding Melody very much of a disapproving mother. It made her stomach churn guiltily in response, like she'd just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Habitually she lowered her green gaze to the ground. Avoiding eye contact was the first step in avoiding confrontation, and Melody generally tried to avoid confrontation at all costs.

"Sure is pretty, though." Tacked on Clarke sarcastically. She gave them all a fleeting glance before she turned around and began to walk on the path to Mount Weather once more. As usual, she didn't bother waiting to see if they were going to keep up.

A few beats of silence passed.

"Someone should slip _her_ some poison sumac." Murmured Octavia, earning laughter from three out of the four of them.

The five of them began to walk once more, this time with Finn in the lead. A few paces behind him was Octavia, and a few paces behind her were Jasper and Monty, with Melody bringing up the rear. They kept a pace that was slightly above average now, Clarke's words about the animals and the radiation echoing in their minds.

Mel was rather content to fall behind the others. She was more of a listener than a talker at this point, simply because she was still trying to figure out how to hold a conversation with another person her age. Observing was what she had been doing for most of their journey. When she watched, Melody picked up on things that would have otherwise gone unnoticeable. For example, only she saw the admirable glances that Octavia sent in Finn's direction whenever she thought no one was looking. And she silently watched on as Finn either didn't notice those secret looks or didn't care to return them.

There were other things that she had noticed. Like the way Jasper's laugh lasted just a little bit longer than the rest of theirs' whenever Octavia spoke. And how much stock he put into everything she said, holding on to every little word no matter how insignificant. The way his eyes lit up every time she laughed at one of his lame jokes, and how he quickly tried to make another as if to prolong the moment. Most of all, how his warm gaze stayed trained on the brunette girl's face even when she wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention.

Jasper was absolutely smitten.

This revelation caused a wave of jealousy to wash over Melody, who suddenly found it difficult to watch the two of them. She'd never had need for a wide range of emotions in the Sky Box and so she almost didn't recognize the jealousy for what it was. Red hot anger that swelled up inside of her chest like a tide, threatening to pull her under. The feeling built up quickly, until her skin felt itchy with it and Melody thought she was surely about to burst. It took all of her willpower not to step in between the two of them and demand all of Jasper's attention for herself in an attempt to make this awful feeling go away.

Melody wasn't the only one who was now watching.

A sheepish look fell upon the girl's face as she realized she'd been caught. Her gaze met Monty's and there was a knowing look in his eyes. Not a smug look, not a taunting look; just a knowing one. All she could do was offer him a weak and somewhat embarrassed smile, which Monty returned half-heartedly before quickly shifting his eyes forward once more. He walked with his head bent and his hands shoved deep into his pockets, a small frown on his face. And that's when Melody realized something; he was a bit jealous himself.

_Jasper's_our_friend!,_thought Melody selfishly, whishing that she could project her thoughts across the distance between the two of them. _Where does she get off stealing him away from us?_

It was unreasonable for either one of them to be jealous over Jasper's little crush, but realizing this didn't take away the awful feelings inside. It didn't stop the feeling of possessiveness that rushed through Melody's veins and threatened to consume her. It didn't stop the quickening of her pulse, nor the sweating of her palms. It didn't stop the compulsive desire to step in between the two of them and make her position known.

Octavia already _had_ somebody. She had Bellamy. Octavia wasn't alone down here and she never would be. Whereas aside from Jasper, Mel didn't really have anyone. It wasn't like she'd gone around making friends while locked in solitary confinement. There was Monty, who was friendly enough towards her, but it was no secret that _Jasper_was the common ground between them. Without him, there was nothing linking the two of them together.

Melody wasn't going to allow these new friendships to be taken from her by anyone, least of all Octavia Blake.

It was no surprise that once again, Melody was lost in her thoughts. When she finally came back to reality -only because she'd stumbled over an upturned root and had nearly lost her balance- it was to notice that they'd overcome the flower picking stage and were now sharing stories. She tuned in just as Monty and Jasper were finishing up explaining what they'd done to get themselves locked up on the Ark.

"Someone forgot to replace what we took." Said Jasper, his voice heavily laced with accusation as he looked at Monty.

The latter had the good grace to look sheepish even as he elbowed his goofy counterpart and insisted, "I've apologized like a thousand times."

Melody rolled her eyes at the two boys, unable to hold back a small smile. And that's when something clicked in her brain, and she found herself laughing softly as she recalled a certain conversation that had left her puzzled earlier.

"_Amazing. If we can find the right herbs…" Jasper trailed off as he looked at Monty, who wore a grin that stretched from ear to ear._

Now it all made sense.

"What about you, Octavia? What were you in for?" Jasper asked the girl suddenly, a smile spreading across his face at the thought of getting to know more about the mysterious girl who'd lived under the floorboards. As his smile grew wider, Melody's faded.

"Being born." Octavia replied after a few beats of tense silence. And with that, she bounded away from their small group and towards Clarke, who had paused just a few yards ahead of them.

"Dude, that was so _not_ game." Monty told Jasper, earning himself a light punch in the arm. Monty returned the punch, and then Jasper, and then Monty. It ended with Jasper sending his friend a warning glance before walking forward, after Octavia. Melody turned to look at Monty and the two of them wore identical grins. She held her hand up and the two of them high-fived in what was admittedly a petty gesture before they jogged after Jasper.

Melody didn't know what all of the fuss was about, but Clarke, Finn, and Octavia had come to a complete stop just ahead. Jasper joined them and then he, too, became stock. They were all knelt in the grass and staring out at what appeared to be an open field. When Melody and Monty approached, Clarke put one finger to her lips and shushed them. Melody frowned in confusion as she and Monty slid easily into place, flanking each side of Jasper. The suspense was unsettling and she was was about to ask them what was going on when suddenly, she saw it.

_A deer._

Eyes wide in awe, Melody couldn't help but to hold her breath as she looked out across the field at the foreign creature. _There's animals on Earth._She thought to herself, excitement growing inside of her. Animals. Real, live animals, not just the faded pictures she'd seen in textbooks or on old movies. If there were deer then there could easily be other animals like bears and cows and pigs; all sources of food that could help them survive the winter. And not to mention the butterflies and birds and all of the small, beautiful creatures that she had only ever read about in the tattered, hand-me-down nature books back on the Ark.

When Mel looked up, she saw that Jasper was grinning down at her. He'd been watching her for who knows how long, gauging her reaction. Apparently he was amused by the awe-struck look on her face, if his silent laugher was anything to go by. She returned the grin and nudged him lightly before her eyes flickered back in the direction of the deer. It just stood there, tail twitching happily as it grazed without a care in the world. It's light-colored coat, brown and dotted with white, was so different from all the dark, earthy tones that they'd seen so far. It looked almost out of place as they did.

_It's beautiful, __thought Melody._ She didn't want to say the words aloud for fear of sounding stupid, but inwardly she expressed her awe of the creature.

"No animals, huh?" Finn asked Clarke quietly, a teasing grin on his face as he cautiously took a step forward.

At Clarke's nod of approval, he began to edge towards the deer. He moved painstakingly slowly for the first few steps, attempting to get closer to the animal without startling it. The last thing any of them wanted to risk was the creature running off, before they'd really even gotten a good look at it. Finn was good at being stealthy though, and his steps made no noise as he ghosted across the forest floor. Bit by bit he made his way closer to the deer. They all watched on with widened eyes, holding their breaths and hoping for the best.

And then, a branch snapped.

The deer jerked to attention in a millisecond, its head rising swiftly as it heard the noise. No one moved a muscle as they looked at the deer, waiting for something to happen. Its head swiveled in their direction and the gasp that left their lips was unanimous. Growing off of the deer's face was _another_ face. Not a complete face; it was more like another mouth. The split between the two faces was red and puffy and made their stomachs flip. Melody turned sharply, burying her face in Jasper's side at the sight of the mutated deer. The boy wrapped one arm around her shoulder, but he never dragged his gaze away from the deer.

They were stunned into silence for a few moments, watching now in horror rather than awe before the deer bounded away from them. No one said anything. What was there to say? They'd wanted to see an animal, but no one could have expected that something so beautifully depicted in photographs could be so painfully different in real life. Maybe they should have expected it, given the radiation and the years that had passed, which would have been perfect for any and all sorts of mutations to occur. And yet, they were rendered speechless.

It was Clarke who regained her composure first, with a quiet "Let's get going."

The moment had been lost.

They walked for a while then. Octavia and Finn were in the lead now, with Jasper and Monty close behind them. Melody was walking between the two boys rather than behind them, because she wasn't exactly in an observing sort of mood anymore. Surprisingly, Clarke was at the very end of the line.

The discussion had moved onto _why_ the Ark had decided to send them down to Earth. It was Finn who posed the question, curious as to why they were being sent down _today,_after 97 years. Melody couldn't answer him, because she had no idea as to what had changed. She didn't _care_ to know what had changed. Melody and Octavia may have been complete opposites, but they had the same view on things; they'd woke up as prisoners and were now free women. Neither of them wanted to question why.

Monty had a few suggestions, but it was Clarke who had the concrete answer. "The Ark is dying." She said simply, once more making her way to the front of the group as the rest of them stopped to glance at her curiously. "With the current population level there is roughly three months of oxygen left."

Clarke went on to explain that her father had been the one to find the flaw in the system. That was why he had been floated, and that was why she had been locked up in solitary confinement for the last six months. It was an attempt to keep the secret from the public, to keep people from panicking once they realized the truth; that they were all slowly dying. That was why they had chosen today for The 100 to come down. If they could survive on Earth then the Ark would come down, too. And if they didn't, they'd at least bought the remaining people on the Ark some more time.

"Wait…they're going to kill more people?" Monty asked, his words more of a question than a statement, but still somewhere in between the two. Clarke didn't respond, but she didn't have to. Her silence was louder than any words she could have spoken.

The explanation was too logical to be argued with. Resources on the Ark were finite. They were always rationing and recycling, using and re-using anything that they could. Yet when thinking about resources used to sustain their lives, people always tended to think about water and hundred year old tin cans that had been preserved before the war. No one ever thought about oxygen as something that could run out. Sure, they all had felt the effects of its loss before, considering the fact that sometimes there were some areas that were given more oxygen than others, but they'd never thought it would truly run out. If Earth proved to be inhabitable, that was it. The citizens of the Ark weren't going to dehydrate. They weren't going to starve to death. They were going to slowly suffocate and there was nothing they could do about it.

Melody was dwelling on the thought more than anyone else. Her main focus was on the loud ringing in her ears as fear shot through her veins, sending her heart stuttering. Roughly three months left. That meant that in three months' time, if they didn't convince the Ark that Earth was safe, everyone on it would be dead. Her mother would be dead. Her mother whom she loved more than anyone, whom she had gone to great lengths to care for and protect while still on the Ark. The image of her mother slowly dying from the lack of oxygen caused Melody's chest to constrict and suddenly _she _was the one unable to breathe.

How could they just stand by and let this happen? Something had to be done.

"You okay, Mel?" Monty was the only one that had noticed she was falling behind. His dark eyes studied her, filled with concern, and Melody felt a weak smile spread across her face.

"Fine. Just…thinking." Melody explained half-heartedly, shrugging her shoulders. She gave him another smile, this one coming off as even more forced than the first.

"It'll all work out." Monty assured her. His smile was just as forced. Nothing more than keeping up appearances. They smiled because they had to smile, because if they didn't then the reality of the situation might actually sink in.

"Yeah…" Melody let out a soft sigh and shook herself, as if somehow that would dislodge all the bad thoughts and feelings. "You're right."

"Let's catch up to the rest of them." Monty suggested.

It was then that Melody realized how far behind they had gotten. She nodded to Monty and then they were jogging to catch up to the rest of the group, all thoughts about the Ark and its problems pushed to the back of their minds for the time being.

When they did manage to reach the others, the group had gone from six to five. For a moment, Melody was confused as she quickly counted and re-counted heads, trying to figure out who was missing. She was about to pose a question when she followed the gazes of the others'. There, perched on a rocky cliff that was poised above a small body of water, was Octavia. Much to Melody's surprise, the girl was quickly casting aside her clothing, her hazel gaze alit with excitement as she glanced down at the waterbeneath her.

"Damn. I love Earth." Jasper's words earned him a sharp elbow to the ribs and a reproachful glance from Melody.

"Have some respect." She said aloud, before rolling her eyes and following after Octavia.

Mel reached the start of the rocky cliff ledge just as Octavia dove into the water. With shouts of concern, the remaining members of the group scrambled towards the ledge, but none of them were as fast Melody was. She reached the edge and stumbled forward, teetering between safety and the unknown for what felt like an immeasurable amount of time. The only thing that kept her from going headfirst into the deep, dark body of water was Finn, who reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist at the very last second.

"Octavia! We can't swim." Called Monty, who was now leaning carefully over the edge to look down into the water. There was no mistaking the concern in his voice, and Melody was surprised to realize that she felt it, too.

It was funny how just half an hour earlier she had been silently cursing the girl for stealing Jasper's affection. And now, here Melody was, her heart beating wildly in her chest at the mere thought something bad happening to Octavia. They may not be friends just yet; hell, they may not ever be friends. But nevertheless, they were all linked.

_We're the 100._Melody thought to herself, the explanation for her sudden fear dawning on her unexpectedly._ If she gets hurt, it's all of our loss. She's one of ours. _

"We can stand!" Octavia's self-assured jeer as she stood up in the water, which was actually much more shallow than originally thought, caused relief to torrent through Melody's body.

"There shouldn't be a river here." Clarke said after glancing at her map, clearly puzzled by this unexpected landmark.

"Well there is. So take off your damn clothes." Finn teased her, grinning as he went to follow his own instructions.

The boys began removing their clothes right away. Even Melody considered it for a moment. _Swimming._She could go swimming. On the Ark there was not enough water for people to _drink_ let alone swim in. Hell, they were lucky they got to bathe…But as tempting as it was to give in to her desires, Melody would rather not undress in front of a bunch of strangers. If she got into the water, she would be wet; walking around wet was not on the top of her to-do list. So, she refrained.

They were all too busy with the prospect of going swimming to think about much else. They all just wanted to have a good time. None of them wanted to see the danger in it. Had it not been for Jasper, all of them would have jumped right in.

"Octavia, get out of the water." Jasper instructed urgently, his eyes wide.

Melody followed his gaze and frowned when she saw something dark and _very_ long rushing towards where Octavia stood. Everyone else seemed to spot it at about the same time, and there was a chorus of gasps as they all realized what they were seeing. Rather than listening to Jasper, however, Octavia turned around to see what he was talking about.

"Get out of the water. Now!"

But she didn't have time.

Octavia's scream echoed throughout the forest, getting cut short when the sea serpent latched itself onto her thigh and dragged her beneath the water. They all watched on with terrified expressions on their faces as Octavia thrashed about like a rag doll, being dragged this way and that just beneath the surface. There was a lot of splashing and a lot of bubbles as Octavia tried to fight her way out of the creature's grip, but to no avail. No one knew what to do, and even if they had they were all too shell-shocked to do anything useful.

She surfaced once more, momentarily released from the jaws of the monster. The first thing Octavia did was begin to head for the shore, but it was easily a few yards away and she didn't even know how to swim. Within a matter of moments Octavia proved to be too slow, and the sea serpent latched onto her once more. The five of them watched in horror as Octavia's small body was flung back and forth across the river.

"What do we do!?"

Melody didn't know who had asked the question. She didn't care, because it didn't matter. When Clarke took charge and instructed them on how to help Octavia, Melody and the others did so without question. The only thought on their minds should have been saving Octavia's life. And yet, as she rolled an extremely heavy rock into the water at the opposite end of the ledge, in an attempt to distract the sea creature, all Melody could think about was how often she found herself in situations like this. Situations where she was looking death in the face and trying to help someone escape it.

Somehow, the rock made enough noise that it took the creature's attention away from Octavia. The serpent released her and began to swim for the rock, which was quickly sinking to the bottom of the river. It would only be a matter of time before it realized that there was no fresh meat in the water, and came back around for Octavia. Melody looked over to see the terrified girl still attempting to tread water, obviously too panicked to remember that she could stand up. There were several shouts telling her to get to shore, but Octavia seemed to forget how to do so.

Jasper was the one who eventually took action. He jumped into the water without a second thought, wrapping his arms around Octavia so that he could steer them both towards the shore. _No, no, no!_Melody bit down on her bottom lip hard enough to taste blood. Her fear escalated immensely as she watched the two of them move towards shore. They were moving far too slowly for her liking. They weren't going to make it. They were running out of time.

"It's coming back!" Someone shouted, only causing the tension and panic within Melody to rise.

Mel watched wordlessly as Jasper and Octavia fought tooth-and-nail to get out of the water. The progress they made was slow, and it seemed even slower to her because she couldn't do anything other than watch them. She felt helpless and scared, two feelings that were so familiar it made her sick to her stomach. Was this how she was destined to live her life? Constantly full of fear and unable to do anything about it? Her heart was racing and there was an anxiousness in her body that she had never known before.

_Please don't let them die._She prayed silently, to whatever God might be left.

Every second seemed like a lifetime. Melody couldn't sit still anymore, she couldn't just watch. She scrambled down from the edge and set off at a run towards the rocky shore that the two of them were headed for. She reached them in record time and dropped to her knees, eagerly urging them forward with shouts of encouragements and desperate hand gestures.

"Come on guys, just a few more feet!" Mel urged, glancing past them to see the dark shape beneath the water gaining speed. "Hurry!"

Somehow, they managed to make it onto the shore. Gasping and trembling and covered in blood, the two of them barely escaped the wrath of the creature. But they _did it__._ And for that Melody was grateful beyond belief.

She knelt by Jasper's side, watching intently as Clarke ripped off a piece of his shirt to wrap it around Octavia's leg. The petrified girl clung to Jasper, thanking him over and over. Monty made a comment about how he planned on saving the girl next time, causing a breathless laugh to leave Melody's lips. She didn't have enough energy to envy Octavia for stealing her best friend right now, nor would she even if the situation was different. All that mattered to her was that they were safe.

For now, anyways.

|oOo|

They had to sleep in the forest.

Melody was a bit uneasy at the thought of laying out in the open, but there was nothing that she could do about it. They had no choice in the matter, seeing as how there weren't any friendly neighbors opening their homes to them in a ten-mile radius. Or a twenty-mile radius. _Or anywhere. __That probably should have made her feel better about sleeping in the middle of the forest, unprotected, but it didn't. _

She let the boys decide where they wanted to sleep, not that there were very many options. Trees. Rocks. More trees. More rocks. The only stipulation was that Jasper wanted to keep Octavia close, and he was so adamant that neither Melody nor Monty protested. Neither one of them liked it very much, even if they would only admit it deep down. _Way _deep down, because harboring any ill feelings towards a girl who had just barely escaped death wasn't exactly something an upstanding citizen would do.

_He's her rock right now._Melody had to explain to herself, after noting the way Octavia was suddenly looking at Jasper. As if he were the only person in the world. The thought hurt her a little bit, but she forced herself to push the hurt away.

_He's not_yours.__And she was crazy for thinking that she somehow had this claim on him just because he'd been nice to her.

They ended up sleeping with their backs against a large tree, near where Clarke had settled down in the grass. Jasper had laid down first, propped up against the tree in what looked like an extremely uncomfortable position. He didn't complain though, because shortly after he had laid down Octavia curled up in his lap_.__That must have eased some of his suffering._ Monty did the same thing as Jasper, grimacing as he attempted to lean back to no avail. Less enthusiastic now, Mel curled up between the two of them, using the tree as sort of a head-rest. Her body was curled to the side, towards Monty, and her head just barely rested against the base of the tree. Honestly, it wasn't as uncomfortable as one would think.

Surprisingly, Melody slept better than she had in a long time. There was no tossing and turning in the middle of the night. She didn't awake suddenly and draw in shallow breaths to stay alive because the oxygen in the prison was significantly lower than anywhere else. Despite the situation she was not uncomfortable. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Tucked between her two friends, Melody felt as if she were swaddled in a blanket of security. And she slept like a baby all night long.

Warm sunshine on her face and the feeling of Monty stirring next to her woke Melody the following morning. She blinked a few times, trying to register where she was, before her green eyes focused on Monty's face. A sleepy smile spread across her face when she realized where she was, and who she was looking up at. Melody couldn't remember the last time she'd actually had a _good _morning. The grin on Monty's face only further brightened her mood.

"Morning." Mel said quietly, her voice soft and groggy as she attempted to rub the sleep from her eyes. "Were you watching me sleep?"

Monty's smile dropped immediately and his eyes widened. "What? No, I…I was just waking up. And you looked so...so peaceful. Not worried like you normally are." He explained, looking panicked. "Really, I wasn't-"

"Relax, Monty." Melody laughed quietly to herself. As fun as it would be to bait him, she thought he may have an anxiety attack if she tried. "I was just joking."

His comment about her looking peaceful when she wasn't worried was not lost on Melody. It was true, she _did_ worry a lot. But that was because this world was a dangerous place. The Ark had been dangerous, now Earth was dangerous…She couldn't seem to get a break. None of them could. And if she didn't worry, who would? Clarke maybe. She seemed to have her head on straight. But the rest of them? They looked at this like it was some vacation. And after the conversation yesterday about the oxygen loss on the Ark, that scared her more than anything.

"What're you two talkin' 'bout?" Muttered Jasper as he turned onto his side to face them.

Mel rolled onto her back so that they could include Jasper in their conversation. "Monty was just watching me sleep." Melody whispered, expecting Jasper to be just as creeped out as she had pretended to be.

"Not surprised." The boy said softly, instead. His brown eyes slowly blinked open and he gazed at her sleepily, looking very much like a baby owl. "You look different when you sleep."

The words brought a scowl to Melody's face. She quickly looked between the two of them, wondering what it was about her that was so different when she slept.

"Different how?" Mel asked curiously, pushing herself up on her elbows to look at the two boys. Was she really _that_ bad when she was awake? Mel knew that she had been rather standoffish the day before, but she hadn't thought that it was so obvious.

"I don't know. You just kind of look…" Jasper trailed off as he waved one hand in the air, looking for the perfect word.

The soft crunch of twigs beneath a pair of boots announced Octavia's arrival. She must have woken up before the three of them and wandered off somewhere. "Approachable." Octavia suggested for Jasper. He snapped his fingers and nodded, as if to say "_that's the word._"

A very unladylike snort could be heard from Melody as she pushed herself to her feet and looked at Octavia. "Because you are _so_ approachable, Octavia Blake." Mel said sarcastically, crossing her arms over her chest.

The words were not supposed to be rude, and luckily Octavia took them the way Melody had meant for them to be taken. The brunette winked at Melody before she turned around and began to make her way to Clarke and Finn, who were already up and talking strategy. Mel felt a bit satisfied with the exchange. She and Octavia weren't friends, but maybe they could be some day…The sound of Monty and Jasper sitting up caused her attention to shift back to them.

"Approachable?" Melody demanded suddenly, the word coming out like a hiss as she narrowed her eyes first at Jasper and then at Monty. "I'm not _approachable_?" The two boys had the decency to look sheepish.

"You _look_ approachable." Monty said, offering her a wide smile. As if that made it any better.

"Yeah, totally." Jasper agreed, nodding his head. "It's not until _after_ someone approaches you that they realize you're all frowns and worry-lines."

A gasp left Melody's lips as she pressed her fingertips against her forehead. The skin there was as smooth as ever. It was then that she realized Jasper was just screwing with her. _Of course_ she didn't have worry lines. It had just been so long since anyone had teased her like this. She didn't really know how to tell the difference between teasing and the truth.

"Assholes." Melody said, nudging Jasper not-so gently with the toe of her boot.

The two of them laughed in response and Monty extended his hand towards her. After a moment's hesitation, Melody took his hand and helped the boy to his feet. She repeated the action with Jasper, who was still laughing.

Finally, Melody cracked and a smile found its way onto her face. She went to elbow Jasper in the ribs, but he dodged it and just wrapped his arm around her shoulders in response. Rolling her eyes, Mel allowed Jasper to pull her against his side. She stumbled slightly and leaned against him as they began to walk towards the rest of their little group.

"You know you love us, Mellie." Monty said in a sing-song voice as he reached out with one hand to ruffle her hair. The nickname was unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. In fact, it sent an odd surge of warmth through her.

"And if you don't, too bad!" Laughed Jasper, who reached out and joined in on the mussing up of her hair. "You're stuck with us now."

"Hey!" Melody protested, grinning even as she brushed the reddish-orange tendrils of hair back behind her ears. Mel was quickly learning that she couldn't be mad at the two of them. They were just so damn _charming._ One look from Jasper or a smile from Monty and her heart just seemed to melt. Damn, having friends felt _good._

"Alright, guys. We're got a lot of ground to cover." Clarke's authoritative voice resonated through the small field. "We'd better move out."

The game plan was the same as if had been the day before; find Mount Weather. Clarke promised that they were close to it. She claimed that it was only a few miles away, but a few miles felt like a few _hundred._ Melody didn't know how long they had been walking, but it had gone by slowly. And that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. It had given them time to enjoy themselves and the area around them.

But by this point, Melody was ready to get back to the camp. She didn't know if she could spend another night out in the open. It made her feel so _vulnerable._They had already learned that they weren't the biggest or baddest things on Earth. Mel didn't want to find out who was _even_bigger and _even_badder.

They seemed to walk for a short amount of time before they came to across their first "real" obstacle. It was another small body of water, one that they had _no_ intention of wading across. Octavia had already suffered the consequences, and the others had no desire to learn from experience. All hope seemed lost, until Finn spotted something that could help; a thick, reliable vine that could be used as a rope.

Now Melody, Monty, Octavia, and Clarke were standing on the rocks protruding from the water. Finn and Jasper had climbed up the steep bank and were looking less than enthused about having to jump off of it with only the vine to support their bodies.

"You wanted to go first." Clarke reminds them, in her voice that means she isn't going to put up with any bull-shit. "Now quit stalling."

Melody grinned, looking up at Jasper and Finn who had started talking once more. She was honestly looking forward to the time when her turn would come. Mel's life lacked excitement; Earth offered it. And swinging across a river on a rope seemed like a great idea. Well, right up until the rope broke and she was sent falling into the water to be devoured by a sea monster…but that was absolute worst case scenario.

Her green eyes watched Jasper and Finn attentively, her ears just barely picking up their conversation. They were talking about being like the Indians. The _Apache._She guessed that they were sort of like Indians. They were Earth's natives, but at the same time they were foreign. They were somewhere between being aborigines and aliens. Mel wasn't sure which side they were closer to.

Heart hammering, she watched as Finn pulled the rope back and looked at Jasper. This was it. There was an exchange between the two of them. A, _see you on the other side._She expected Finn to jump, to soar across the river and land on the other side like some sort of stunt guy in those old films they'd shown occasionally in the Ark's rec room. What she didn't expect was for Jasper to call out at the last second.

"Wait!"

Finn paused and they all looked at Jasper. His eyes flickered towards Octavia and it was clear then what he wanted. A half-smirk curved Melody's lips as she watched him. She couldn't be upset about him and Octavia and the fact that their relationship might totally crush any and all of Melody's. She couldn't be upset when right now he looked so excited as he bounced gently on the balls of his feet, assuring Finn that he could do this. A fierce wave of pride hit Melody, bringing a full-blown smile to her face.

_My boy, the Apache._She thought to herself, clasping her hands and bringing them to her mouth as she looked on with interested eyes.

When Jasper took the rope, Melody couldn't help but to bounce a little bit and clap her hands. _You've got this, Jasper, __she thought to herself, once again wishing she could project her thoughts towards others._And he did. Jasper gripped the rope and looked at them one last time before he took two steps back.

"See you on the other side." He repeated Finn's earlier words with a grin.

Melody's heart raced as he ran the two steps forward and began to sail across the open space between the bank and their destination. For a minute she watched in silence, forcing herself not to worry. _He's fine. He's fine._She told herself this over and over. And when he landed on the other side, without the rope breaking or any other catastrophes, she threw both hands in the air and let out a shriek.

"We are the Apache!" The cry echoed throughout the forest as Jasper threw both hands in the air and shouted.

"Apache!" Melody cried, along with the rest of the group. They were so caught up in their whooping and hollering as pride filled them all. They'd come down here as children. Juvenile. And now, they were _Apache._This was their land. This was their _time. __It had never been clearer than it was now. They could do this. They __would __do this. _

The group continued to laugh and cheer as Jasper did a small victory dance. Whatever worries anyone had had beforehand faded away now. Melody, Monty, and Octavia watched on with amused smiles as Clarke prepared herself to be the next one across.

"Come on, Clarke! You got this!" Jasper encouraged her from across the stream, his grin wide and his confidence off the charts. "_Apache!_"

And now, it was Clarke's turn. She stood on the bank, ready to go, not looking nearly as worried as the guys had been the first time. As Clarke prepared to kick off, Jasper began to dig in the dirt near where he had landed. They all paused and watched as he lifted up a sign, one that was beaten and bruised after many long, hard years. It was faded, but still readable.

_Mount Weather._

"We did it!" Cried Jasper, as he raised the sign high above his head. "Mount Weather!" He let out another string of shouts, holding the sign up proudly.

Relief and excitement washed over them all as they realized that they had finally reached their destination. It had been a long day and a half, full of all sorts of evens and emotions and thoughts and ideas, but they'd _made it._

_We did it._ Mel thought to herself, throwing her head back in relief. _We're going to be okay._

Nothing could stop them now. Nothing!

Or that's what they thought.

Right up until the moment a spear struck Jasper square in the chest and sent him flying.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion.

A strangled gasp left Melody's lips as she watched Jasper's body sail through the air and fall limply to the ground a few feet away. Protruding from his chest was a long, wooden shaft that looked as if it had been carved by hand. Melody didn't need to be an old fashioned weapon-junkie to know that there was a spearhead of some sort attached the end that was embedded in Jasper's chest. This was no freak accident. Someone was out there. There was no other explanation. Someone was _hunting_ them.

As much as she wanted to scream and shout and call out to him, Mel couldn't. Her thoughts, which were only half formed anyways, refused to be translated into words. She just couldn't make the connection between her brain and her mouth. Even if she could, would it have made any difference?

The only thing she could manage to get out of her constricted throat was a single, hoarse whisper. "Jasper."

One shaking hand was desperately outstretched in his direction, as if she could somehow will him back to her. Melody's mouth opened and closed, but still no words would come out. This couldn't be happening. None of it made sense. Earth was supposed to be barren, it was supposed to be inhabitable. There weren't supposed to be people lurking in the forest, waiting to pick off unsuspecting teenagers. This wasn't how this was supposed to go.

Her eyes were wide and blinking rapidly, as if they couldn't quite process what had just happened. Jasper had just been killed before her very eyes. Jasper, the boy who had held her hand when things got scary. The optimistic kid with whom she had taken her first steps on Earth. It seemed so surreal that only an _hour_ago they had been laughing and joking with one another. Melody had been curled up into his side and Jasper had been picking on her for being a nature-freak after she'd identified three poisonous plants _without_Monty's help.

And now he was gone.

Melody took the tiniest of steps in the direction of where Jasper's crumpled body lay. She didn't even realize that she was moving, not at first. She didn't even think about it, she just moved, acting before her brain had a chance to catch up to her body. Had Monty not roughly grabbed her arm and yanked her to safety, Melody might have been the next person with a spear sticking out of their body.

"Get down!"

Finn was shouting and ushering them all towards lower ground. There, he said, the rocks would shield their bodies from view. They would be safer than they were now, just standing out in the open and waiting to be picked off. Not that it mattered. Because they'd already begun to get picked off. Now it was just a matter of time.

Melody felt numb.

It was Monty who did the moving for both of them. He had one arm wrapped around her waist and used the other to guide them through the trees as they scrambled down the small hill and dove behind a wall of rocks. Melody had been no help. Her limbs felt awkward and heavy, as if they were disconnected from the rest of her body. All she could do was blindly stumble along as if she had lost complete control over her body. And for a moment, it felt as if she had.

"We are _not_ alone." Clarke's voice was soft and frightened, somewhere near Melody's ears. She was crouched down, but peering over the edge of the wall to look for whoever had attacked them.

"Mel, are you with me?" Monty's voice was frantic as he crouched down in front of her. He reached out and gripped her shoulders, giving a gentle shake.

Melody looked up and was vaguely aware of the fact that Monty's face was a matter of mere inches from hers. He was right there in front of her, and yet she couldn't see him. She couldn't bring herself to focus. It was as if her eyes were seeing right through him and into the forest beyond. Because she wasn't really there. Maybe in body, but not in spirit.

It reminded her too much of the last time. The last time she had watched someone die at her feet. There was the same feeling of numbness, as if she were void of any and everything that made her human. She knew that there would be tears, but those wouldn't come until later, most likely when she was laying alone under the trees and pretending to sleep. And then, when she did finally manage sleep, there would be the nightmares. They were always there, but she knew that tonight they would be especially gruesome. This was so much like last time that Melody almost feared history was bound to repeat itself.

Only this time, _she_ wasn't the one doing the killing.

"Melody!"

Monty's voice finally broke through the haze. Melody forced herself to swallow the lump that was beginning to form in her throat. Loss was nothing new. The numbness was nothing new. _You can do this, Mel. Put on a brave face like you always do._And that's exactly what she did. Melody sat up and looked to Clarke and Finn, her face suddenly void of the emotion that she felt deep in her stomach, brewing there like a storm. It was damn near impossible to keep her face neutral, but Melody somehow managed.

"What's our next move?" Mel asked, her voice breaking slightly in the middle of her question. But she brushed it off and cleared her throat, determined not to let it happen again.

"Getting the hell out of here." Finn said, looking around. His eyes scanned the forest for a moment before he spotted a gap between the trees; the same one they'd come through just fifteen minutes earlier. "There. It'll be a straight shot back to camp. On my command, you run your asses off. Got it?"

They got it.

Melody had recomposed herself enough to follow the simple directions. As one, the five of them crouched lightly behind the rocks, ready to spring forward at any moment. Finn's eyes searched the trees for any sign of a threat, but like Clarke's they didn't detect even the slightest rustle of leaves. Whoever had been out there was either gone, or they were extremely good at hiding. The seconds that ticked by were excruciatingly slow and the fact that nothing was happening only added to the tension. Everyone was freaked out and ready to get the hell out of what Melody could only assume was enemy territory.

_How can we have enemies? How is anyone down here still alive?_Now came the logical questions, which had been in the back of Melody's mind but unable to surface until now.

The radiation was supposed to have wiped out anyone who hadn't boarded the Ark. There should have been no way anyone could have survived exposure to such massive amounts of radiation. They'd seen firsthand what it had done to the plants and animals on Earth. There was no telling what kind of effect years of radiation and mutation could have on the human population, or what was left of it. If they even _were _humans anymore.

"Go!"

At Finn's command they leapt up and over the rocks, scrambling to get to the break in the trees. Melody ran faster than she had run ever before. Her heart was hammering in her chest and her legs ached by the time she made it into the forest, but Mel didn't allow herself to stop. She could hear frantic footsteps all around her and she assumed that it was the footsteps of her friends. Melody didn't even turn her head; she couldn't. She wasn't just running; she was running _away._ Away from that _place_, away from their _enemies,_and away from that _body._

The only thing keeping Melody anchored to the present was the sound of her footsteps against the ground. That and the sound of her own labored breathing. With each breath she drew in it felt as if her chest was on fire. The muscles in her legs hadn't been used like this in _years_. Rotting away in a prison cell didn't really require a whole lot of movement. Mel's entire body seemed to throb in protest in response to being overused with no preparation, but Melody didn't mind. The pain was a good thing. The pain let her know that she was still alive.

And that in itself was a gift.

Melody didn't even consider slowing down until she heard a muffled thumping noise behind her, followed by a grunt of pain. Coming to an abrupt stop, she spun around and saw that Monty had lost his footing and fallen face first into the dirt. _Monty!_How could she have left him behind? He'd been the one to drag her out of the enemy's line of fire. He had saved her life. And she hadn't even thought to return the favor.

_He's my friend and I practically left him to die._With that guilty thought in mind, Melody rushed back to Monty's side. She reached him just as he was climbing back to his feet.

"Are you hurt?" Melody asked, grasping Monty by the front of his shirt.

Aside from being considerably shaken up, Monty was fine. There were a few shallow scrapes on his palms, but no lasting damage. His clothing seemed to have taken the brunt of the damage and was now covered in a fine layer of dirt and sporting several new holes. That seemed like a small price to pay, considering the fact that they were being chased through the woods by spear-wielding maniacs. Rather a hole in his shirt than a hole in his chest.

"Monty?" Pressed Melody.

He gave a slow, almost robotic nod.

It was then that she noticed the bones. Sitting in a scattered pile at their feet, inches away from where Monty had just fallen. Melody let out a strangled yelp and practically jumped backwards, stumbling slightly in her attempt to get away from what looked like everything she'd ever imagined human remains to look like.

"Who are they?" Finn had reached them now, his breathing labored and his voice holding an unmistakable twinge of panic.

His gaze had also stumbled upon the bones that Monty had tripped over. Bones that looked far too fresh to have been there for very long. It gave Melody the creeps, and eventually she had to drag her gaze away in order to stop herself from thinking about how they could have gotten there.

It was Clarke who had the courage to pick them up. She chose what looked to be a disfigured skull, distinguishable from the others by its pronounced shape. As she ran her fingers over the bone, it became very clear that it wasn't your average skull. It was flat on every side except for the top, which had a sort of heart-shape to it. Definitely not like any of the human skeletons that they'd ever seen.

"_What_ are they?" Clarke wondered, staring at the object in her hands with a mixture of awe and horror displayed on her face.

Octavia was the last to reach the group. She'd been leaning against Monty, struggling to catch her breath after running for the last several minutes on her still-injured leg. Now, as she stared at the skull in Clarke's hands, she let out a heavy sigh. "We are so screwed."

Melody had to agree.

"Aaaaaaaaugh!" The agonized cry rang out and echoed throughout the forest.

Melody's heart skipped a beat when she recognized the sound belonging to Jasper. Her eyes grew wide as she looked around at the group, who all seemed to be just as surprised as she was. How could Jasper still be alive, let alone screaming? They'd all seen the spear pierce his chest, they'd watched his body soar through the air and land in a crumpled heap on the ground.

And yet, miraculously, he was still alive.

Clarke was the first one to start running back towards where they came, but Melody wasn't very far behind her. The danger of whatever lay back at the creek suddenly didn't seem so important to her. All she could think about was helping Jasper. If he was alive it wouldn't be for long, especially not without their help. If he was alive then there was still a chance that they could save him. If he was alive, maybe just maybe there was still a little bit of hope left in the world.

They broke through the clearing and Melody heard Finn telling them to stay behind the cover of the trees. As if that was going to help them any. They were being hunted, hunted by people who clearly knew the area and who had massive weapons. Still, she did as he instructed, crouching low as her eyes eagerly scanned the area where she had last seen Jasper. The light in her eyes slowly faded, however, when she realized that he was gone.

"He was right there."

"Where is he?"

It was Clarke who put the pieces together first. "They took him."

The words seemed to hang in the air between them all for a while. All five of them were wondering the same thing. _Who were__the_**_y_**? There was no way to know the answer to that question. Up until now, they'd thought they were alone. The reality was much, much harsher. This world didn't belong to them anymore.

"We have to go." It was Finn again, pushing for them to leave. Pushing for them to leave _Jasper._

Melody opened her mouth to protest, but she didn't know what to say. She didn't want to leave Jasper to those…_things._ But how much help would they be to him right now? It was bad enough that Octavia was already injured and running on her bad leg. One more man down and they wouldn't have a chance. The girl was torn between wanting to stay and wanting to go, but in the end Melody knew that it would be no use to try and argue with them. It was go back to camp or die. And if she was going to help Jasper, she needed to be very much alive.

_We_**_will_**_help him._

_|oOo|_

They trekked back to camp in a near-silence. Melody didn't even have the heart to smile when Monty offered her a wild flower that he'd picked from the forest floor. She'd simply uttered a soft thank you and had tucked the flower into her jacket for safe-keeping. No one was laughing or smiling. Without Jasper it just didn't seem to come as naturally to any of them. Without Jasper _nothing_ seemed to come as naturally. Not their smiles or their laughs or their sense of adventure. It was all too easy to feel the lack of his presence whenever someone thought about cracking a joke or saw something that looked like fun. So they just stayed silent and made it back to camp in record time.

Their arrival at the camp was greeted by yet another fight.

Wells was in the middle of things again. He had another boy by the throat, with a knife pressed against his jugular. The sight turned Melody's stomach for more reasons than one. _We shouldn't be killing each other. Someone else is already trying._She thought the words, but didn't bother to utter them aloud. She didn't have the energy to face Bellamy Blake, who was looking on with interest.

It was Clarke who broke up the fight. It was always Clarke who came to her senses first and did what needed to be done. It didn't hurt any that Wells seemed to do whatever she said. When she commanded him to let the boy go, that's what he did without hesitation. As the second boy fell to the ground, Melody realized that she recognized him. _John Murphy._ The boy who had stopped Wells from putting his hands on Jasper earlier. The boy who had a sinister look in his eyes that still gave Melody the chills even now, when she knew there were much worse things on Earth than him and his band of misfit thugs.

Monty and Melody took up the rear of the group and arrived last, because they were helping Octavia down the hill, going slowly so as not to hurt her even further. Octavia had already put far too much pressure on her leg by running away from the creek…and then running _back_ to it. And then away again. The strain was taking its toll on her, as was evident as she put just about all of her weight on them. Between the two of them, they managed to get her into camp in one piece, where Bellamy immediately steered Octavia away from them.

_You're welcome, _Melody thought irritably as she watched the two of them walk off.

"Come on guys, listen up." Ordered Clarke, who had made her way into the center of the group and was standing before the delinquents.

Melody and Monty edged their way towards the group as Clarke and Finn launched into the explanation of what had happened on the trek to Mount Weather. It was all repetitive by this point, as they'd discussed it heavily over the course of the last twenty-four hours. _What they had been told about Earth was wrong. The last grounder to die on the Ark hadn't been the last. They weren't alone on Earth; there had been survivors. _All information that shocked the hell out of the others, but sounded like white noise to Melody's ears.

"The good news is, that means _we_ can survive." Clarke said, trying to spread positive vibes throughout the group. "The radiation won't kill us."

_Melody watched on_ bitterly. When Clarke began to spew her optimistic bullshit, Melody took a seat on the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest, watching absent mindedly. The expression on her face must have shown her inner turmoil, because Melody felt a firm hand press against her shoulder. Her face tilted upwards and she saw Monty looking down at her. He didn't try to smile or say anything to make her feel better; he was just _there._ And Melody appreciated it.

"The bad news is…" Finn began, looking around the group. "The grounders _will._"

Wells was the first one to realize that they'd left with six people and had returned only with five. He counted each of them in turn before frowning and giving a puzzled look. "Where's the kid with the goggles?"

The question rubbed Melody the wrong way. _The kid with the goggles. _As if that was all Jasper had been.

"His name is _Jasper._" She snapped out, eyes narrowed into a glare as she looked over at Wells. She'd never felt so much hatred towards another person as she did in that moment. A part of her almost wanted Wells to come back with some smartass response. Her fingers were twitching with the desperate desire to take out her frustrations on someone else.

Monty's hand squeezed her shoulder gently, and Melody forced herself to take in a deep breath. _Don't lose control, Mel. Be cool._

"Jasper was hit." Clarke explained, her voice going from hopeful to hopeless in a matter of moments. That fake optimism had completely disappeared, finally giving the situation the severity that it deserved. "They took him."

Clarke only grieved for a moment.

Her eyes had landed upon Wells' wrist, which was bare. "Where's your wrist band?"

Wells jerked his head in Bellamy's direction, his voice low and angry. "Ask him."

Melody's eyes flickered to her own wrist, where the bracelet was still blinking as it took her vitals. _They're taking them off._ Melody realized, looking between Bellamy and Murphy. For some reason they wanted the Ark to think they were dying, to think that Earth was inhabitable. Right now, it didn't really seem far from the truth. Mel still pulled the sleeve of her jacket down further to cover the metal band.

Clarke launched into her speech about life-support on the Ark failing. She told them about the lack of oxygen and what would happen when it ran out. With each bracelet that came off, the Ark lost a little hope. If they couldn't come down, or if they thought they couldn't, then they would all die. None of them would see their families again. They couldn't just sit by and let that happen.

Bellamy, however, had a very different opinions.

"Who cares about _them_?" He demanded of Clarke as he stepped into the center of the ring of people that had formed. "Last time I checked, they didn't give a damn about _us._"

There was a burst of excited cheering from the crowd and shouts of agreement.

"They say you'll be forgiven for your crimes. I say you're _not criminals._" Bellamy shouted, his voice rising even further when he got a positive response from the group. "I say, the grounders should worry about _us_."

A cry rang out as the arrogant group of teenagers threw their hands in the air and agreed with every word that left their daunting _King's_ mouth. It made Melody sick to her stomach to see them all so…_excited._ Like they wanted the grounders to try and attack them. Them, a bunch of kids, a bunch of _outsiders_, planned to take on a group of natives who obviously had no ill thoughts over murdering people?

Melody was tired. She was so freaking tired, both physically and mentally and emotionally. The numbness was still there, threatening to creep in once more, threatening to cut her off from any and everything. But she couldn't let it. She couldn't afford to lose herself right now. Jasper needed her. These people needed her. None of them even realized what they were getting themselves into. She had to at least try and make them see. Even if she only convinced one of them, just to see that sick, twisted light die out of their eyes, well that would be enough for now.

"They didn't _see_, Monty. They didn't see what happened to Jasper." Said Melody, her voice growing anxious as she quickly climbed to her feet.

"Listen to them, Mels. They don't care." Monty said, his sharp voice betraying the composed mask that he wore. "They aren't going to listen to us."

"Then I'll make them listen."

Monty reached out to grab her, but Melody was too quick for him, and he was left grasping at thin air.

Without allowing herself to lose her nerve, Melody rushed up to Bellamy and put one small hand on his arm. The man turned around slowly, his eyes narrowed as he looked down at Melody. He looked lazily from her hand, to her, and back again. Mel nervously dropped her hand and then crossed her arms over her chest as she took a step away from him, determined to stand her ground without actually standing too close.

Bellamy gave her a rather dismissive once over before asking, "What do you want?"

"They'll kill us." Mel said simply, her voice as firm and serious as she could manage. "These grounders are armed and out there, waiting for us. Do you not understand that?"

"Let them try." He replied with a smirk, far too cocky for his own good.

"Let them try? They _did _try. And they succeeded." Melody's brow furrowed with both confusion and frustration. "This isn't the Ark and you're not soldiers. Deluding yourself into thinking you can somehow beat these…these _people_ at their own game is going to wind up getting all of us killed."

Without warning, Bellamy lashed out and wrapped his fingers around her wrist. His grip was tight enough to cause pain to shoot up Melody's arm, the sensation causing her to grind her teeth together to keep from crying out. When Bellamy leaned in close, she swore she could see every tiny detail of the muscles in his tightly clenched jaw.

"Worry about yourself." He practically snarled the words out her, lips curling back over his teeth as he gave Melody a dark look.

She hated the feeling of helplessness that washed over her when Bellamy exerted his clearly superior strength over her. Melody had always loathed the fact that she was fated to being weak and helpless simply because of the fact that she was small and delicate and it was in her nature. What gave Bellamy Blake, or anyone else for that matter, the right to put her into such a position? And who said that she had to accept it? Maybe that's what she would have done in the past, but now things were different. Melody had felt helpless more times today than she cared to admit and she was not about to allow herself to be at the mercy of Bellamy Blake

If she was going to survive on Earth, it was time to adapt to her surroundings.

"That's twice you've put your hands on me." Mel used every ounce of strength she had to pull her arm out of his relentless grasp. Her breath was suddenly coming fast as she glared up at Bellamy, angered by both his actions and his words.

The first time he'd touched her, it had been on the dropship. It had been just the gentle press of his fingertips against her hipbone, holding her in place so that Octavia could have the privilege of being the first on the ground. And now, he'd openly manhandled her in front of everyone, making her look like nothing more than a weak little girl who was at his disposal. The reality of the situation was very different -or at least she was beginning to think it was- and Melody intended to make it known.

"Try it a third time and I guarantee you won't like the results." Mel threatened. She was thankful that her voice had remained firm and strong rather than breaking, as she was almost sure it would.

"Oh?" Bellamy looked almost surprised as he processed her words before taking another step in her direction. His eyes were glinting with a mixture of amusement and annoyance as he stared down at her. "What're you going to do, sweetheart? Kill me?"

Melody was not afraid of the likes of Bellamy Blake…at least not _completely._ Intimidated, maybe, but not afraid. She would be lying if she said the thought of ending his miserable life hadn't crossed her mind a time or two since landing on Earth. But it wasn't up to Melody to decide who lived and died. It wasn't like on the Ark, where those kinds of decisions had been made in haste. There was no immoral system of justice, and killing someone just _because _wasn't a valid option. This was just…life.

And she would not let Bellamy get to her.

"No." Melody said after a moment of debate. She shook her head and began backtracking, retreating a few more steps, her eyes never leaving Bellamy's. "You wouldn't be worth the guilt."

"You alright, Mel?"

Suddenly Finn was there, showing up just a bit too late to rescue Melody from her confrontation with Bellamy Blake. Not that she needed rescuing. For the first time ever, she'd actually stood her ground and fought for herself. And somehow, she'd actually managed to come out on top. It felt _good_, standing up for herself. It felt good to disprove the idea that she was supposed to be some timid, fragile being.

Bellamy hadn't dropped his gaze, and Melody didn't want to be the first one to do so. There was a small stubborn streak in the back of her mind that demanded she stay and fight, but in the end Melody couldn't bear to look at Bellamy for another minute. So, she turned her head to look at Finn and nodded once.

"Great." He returned the nod, but looked between the two of them suspiciously for a few more moments before he jerked his head in the direction of the dropship. "Let's go find Clarke."

Melody closed the distance between herself and Finn. He placed one hand gently on the small of her back and led her towards the dropship. They only made it a few feet before Melody turned back around to face Bellamy Blake once more.

"By the way, my name isn't _sweetheart._ It's Melody." She informed him loudly, ignoring the strange looks that she got from some of the other campers that were in earshot.

As the two of them continued on their way towards the dropship, Melody could still feel that intense stare burning holes into her back.

|oOo|

"…you aren't going either."

"Like hell I'm not. Jasper's my best friend!" Argued Monty, scowling at Clarke, who had just broken the news to him that he wouldn't be going on the rescue mission.

Of course, Clarke then began to launch into a convincing speech about how Monty was too important to go with them, lest something bad happen on the way to Mount Weather. He had been raised on Farm Station _and_ recruited by engineering, which was actually a pretty big deal given their current situation. It meant that he knew about food and communication; two essential things that they would need on Earth.

"Melody knows about plants." Monty interjected suddenly, casting a glance towards the sullen looking redheaded girl that was leaning up against the wall. "Enough to keep us alive."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Melody protested, holding her hands up in her own defense. "You grew up on _Agro_, Monty. You know how to farm and grow food and make something out of nothing. All I know is what I learned out of a couple of old textbooks. I grew up in the Sky Box, okay? I'm essentially useless."

"Come on, Mel. You _grew up_ in the Sky Box?" Monty asked, scoffing.

Melody immediately cringed at the words she had so carelessly let slip. The "Sky Box" was another name for the Prison Station. It was true that she had essentially "grown up" on the Prison Station. The first few years of her life had been spent on Medical, when her father was still alive and serving as the head doctor. When Melody was five years old, however, her father was floated and she and her mother were sent to Factory Station. Mel spent the next nine years there until she had been arrested. The rest of her life had been spent locked up in that little cell, hidden away from the rest of the world.

"Where _are_ you from Mel?" Finn asked curiously, tilting his head to one side so that he could study her with his curious gaze. There was a hint of hesitance in his eyes and Melody knew that the only reason he was even asking was because he was avoiding the task at hand. He was making idle small talk in hopes of prolonging things before they went back out to get themselves killed.

"It doesn't matter right now. We need to focus on getting Jasper." She reminded them shortly, crossing her arms and pinning Finn and Monty with her serious stare. That last thing they needed to worry about was where she had come from. All that mattered was where she was _now, _and that was on Earth amidst a bunch of blood-thirsty natives who had taken her friend. "We can swap our tragic backstories later."

"She's right." Clarke nodded. She turned her gaze towards Melody and Finn, who were still lingering near the doorway. Melody leaned against one wall, and Finn the other. "You ready?"

"Totally. Let's go." Melody wasted no time in pushing herself away from the wall and moving towards the door.

Finn, however, was more reluctant. "I'm not going anywhere." He said simply, looking between the two of them. "And neither should any of you."

"What do you mean? It's _Jasper._" Melody said, giving Finn a look that lingered somewhere between confusion and disgust.

"We're just going to let Jasper die?" Monty asked, his eyes growing wide.

"That is _not_ an option." Clarke assured the both of them seriously. She turned her attention back towards Finn, who was looking sheepish but determined. "Spacewalker? What a joke."

"Clarke-"

"You pretend to be an adventurer." Clarke continued over him, her tone soft and almost sad as she realized that Finn wasn't exactly who they'd thought he was. "You're really just a coward."

"This isn't an adventure, Clarke. It's a suicide mission!" Finn protested, but Clarke didn't want to hear any of it.

The blonde brushed by Finn and ducked out of the dropship without saying another word. Melody watched her go before looking to Finn, feeling utterly disappointed. He'd been so eager to get out and explore everything and now, when they _really_ needed him, he was chickening out. Clarke was right. He _was _a coward.

Melody crossed the room to stand in front of Monty, prepared to give some sort of optimistic parting speech, but was completely taken off guard when he threw his arms around her and drew her into his embrace.

"Don't let him die out there, Mel." Monty whispered against the top of her head. The terror in his voice sent chills down her spine.

"Don't worry, Monty. We'll bring him back." Although she was a bit rusty, Melody wrapped her arms around Monty and returned the hug. It was a foreign, but not unwelcome gesture. In fact she found herself a tad bit disappointed when it ended and they pulled apart.

The goodbyes were said, and so it was time for them to get going. Melody moved towards the exit slowly and precisely. Her eyes were trained on Finn the whole time, her stare unrelenting. The boy had the decency to look ashamed, but Melody felt no pity or forgiveness for him or his spineless ways. At the last moment as she was about to pass him, her fist lashed out and struck Finn hard in the chest. She held it there for a moment, looking up at him although there were no words to describe the disappointment she felt.

"We are Apache." Melody said finally, after a few beats of tense silence. She gave Finn a disdainful once-over before walking out of the dropship.

Clarke was waiting just outside of the dropship doors. Wells stood by her side, but neither one of them spoke. He looked dejected, and Clarke looked a little bit pissed off, actually. When Melody walked out, Clarke's attention shifted and her eyes lit up. She looked almost relieved to not be left alone with the Chancellor's son. What was that about?

"So, what's first?" Melody asked when she reached Clarke's side. She was ready to jump in head-first, guns blazing. Only problem was, they didn't actually _have _any guns. "Is there anyone else we can bring with us?"

"Actually…we need Bellamy." Admitted Clarke with a frown.

The answer wasn't exactly what Melody had been expecting. The last thing she wanted was to have Bellamy along on something as important as this when he clearly didn't grasp the severity of the situation. This wasn't time to screw around. Jasper's _life _was at stake. And it wasn't like Melody was exactly jumping to get invoked into the Bellamy Blake fan club. She didn't like him. She didn't really _know_ him, but from what she _did _know she could tell that he wasn't someone she wanted to get mixed up with. If Clarke thought his help was necessary, it must be. That didn't mean Melody had to be happy about it.

"Okay." Melody nodded. "So, let's find him."

It wasn't exactly difficult to 'find' Bellamy. The differences between him and the others made it so that he stuck out of the group like a sore thumb. For starters, Bellamy was older than all of them, at least by a handful of years. By default he was generally taller and broader than the rest of the delinquents. That, paired with his loud mouth and his bull-like nature made him almost impossible to blend into a crowd.

There he was, crouched beside his sister and tending to the wound that she had gotten earlier. If you could call it 'tending to' the wound, considering they had no medical supplies. They had bits of cloth and wire and maybe some tape, but that was it. Whatever makeshift bandage he was creating seemed to be working for him, and Clarke watched on with a look of approval on her face as they grew closer.

Melody let Clarke and Wells handle the recruitment process. The last thing she wanted to do was waste her breath trying to persuade Bellamy Blake, _again. _It wasn't worth her time, and frankly she didn't really want him coming along anyways. So she hung back, watching and saying nothing as Clarke explained exactly why they needed him to join them. She brought up the fact that he was rumored to have a gun, which they would need. And how he wanted the people to follow him. The fact that right now, only one of the two potential leaders was looking scared about going into the forest.

Unsurprisingly, the dig at his pride was what convinced Bellamy that he should tag along. The man immediately began barking orders. _How typical._Nevertheless, he was another person on their side and apparently he was armed. That was the best news Melody had heard all day. What was a spear compared to a gun?

"He's all bark." Melody complained to Clarke and Wells as the three of them walked away from camp at a somewhat hurried pace.

Melody looked over her shoulder, seeing no sign of Bellamy or his little bodyguard, Murphy.

"These aren't just _bullies_, guys. They're real criminals." Wells said, his tone serious as he mimicked Melody's actions and looked over his shoulder, as if afraid of being overheard.

Neither one of the girls were too intimidated.

"That's what I'm counting on." Clarke raised her chin higher and marched on, completely unaffected by Wells' words. If anything, they only spurred her on further.

Melody thought for a moment before nodding her head at Clarke's words. She didn't like it, but Bellamy and Murphy might actually be useful. The chances of the two of them having experience with fighting and killing were on the high side. Definitely _one _of the members of the group had killed before.

"We're _all_ criminals, Wells." Melody pointed out.

The male just shook his head and remained silent. It was obvious that he didn't think Mel and Clarke were taking him as seriously as he had expected. Personally, Melody thought that he worried far too much. A known threat was greatly preferable to an unknown one, after all. Bellamy and Murphy were just bitter Arkians who'd been given the short end of the stick. Dangerous, maybe, but predictable.

The trio hurried on at a quick, steady pace. The sound of slower footsteps off to the side could be heard as Bellamy and Murphy kept their distance. Melody was grateful that they didn't try and barge their way into the group. Mel trusted Clarke to lead things. She was a logical girl with medical knowledge and she gave them the best shot at finding Jasper. Not to mention she was a natural-born leader. Bellamy calling the shots wouldn't be good for anyone. Luckily, he didn't seem to have any intentions of taking over their search party.

There was a few minutes of silence as they all focused on getting to their destination. Not that they really knew _where _they were going. There was no telling where Jasper might have been taken by now. He could be miles and miles away from them, suffering at the hands of his captors…or worse.

"Relax, Melody. We _will_ find him." Clarke was the first to break the silence. She turned her kind, patient eyes towards Melody and offered a reassuring smile.

"Jasper is only part of the problem." Melody resisted the urge to look over her shoulder and see where Bellamy and Murphy had gone. "I don't trust them."

As if on cue, Bellamy and Murphy came towards the three of them from the side.

"Hey, hold up." Bellamy said, moving towards them at his own leisure. "You don't survive a spear to the heart." He went on, his voice sounding a bit too _uninterested_ for Melody's taste. In his hand was the gun that he was rumored to have. The sight of it caused Melody to scowl and tense.

"Hey, put the gun away Bellamy." Wells moved towards the boy, but was immediately intercepted by Murphy. _The ever doting bodyguard._

Murphy had gripped the collar of Wells' shirt and was pushing him backwards. Away from Bellamy. "Why don't you do something about it?"

"If you two could stop your shit for two seconds, that'd be great." Melody snapped out, glaring between both of the boys who were acting completely asinine.

The both glared at Melody, who gave them a level look in response.

This was survival of the fittest.

"Jasper screamed when they moved him." Clarke reminded them all, looking at Bellamy with mildly-contained annoyance. "If the spear had struck his heart he would have died instantly."

"_Meaning_, we don't have time to waste." Melody piped up, stepping forward. "Every second is time wasted."

Bellamy grabbed Clarke by the wrist. "As soon as you take off the wristband we can go."

The blonde snatched her arm away from Bellamy, her eyes blazing. "The only way the Ark is going to think I'm dead is if I _am_ dead. Got it?"

Out of instinct, Melody pulled the sleeve of her jacket down further to cover her wristband as she had done earlier. These things were their lifelines. The only way they could communicate anything to the Ark. The last thing she wanted was for Bellamy to get any ideas about taking hers away, too.

"The brave princess." Bellamy said snidely, his lips curving into a smirk.

"Hey. How about you get your own nickname?"

Suddenly there was Finn, walking briskly towards them, looking like something straight out of a movie. He wore a grin, as if he were glad to be here, as if it had been his intent all along. Melody looked over at the boy, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched him approach. His cowardice was not forgotten; it would never be forgotten.

"You call this a rescue party? We need to split up. We'll cover more ground." Finn ordered, further increasing Melody's annoyance. Of course he would just swoop in and take over, as if this whole thing had been his idea. As if he even wanted to be there. "Girls, you come with me."

Clarke immediately began to follow after Finn. It was better than staying with present company, considering their options. But Melody didn't move.

"No." She said, succeeding in surprising everyone. Even herself. "I'll stick with Bellamy."

There weren't many things that Melody knew for certain about herself, but she did know that she wasn't the forgive-and-forget type. Finn was attempting to redeem himself, but it was only out of guilt. He didn't actually _want _to be out here, looking for Jasper. He only came along so they wouldn't think less of him. Well, it was too late for that. And in this case, it seemed that the unknown threat was favorable to the known one.

"Are you sure, Melody?" Clarke glanced worriedly in Bellamy's direction. She didn't trust him either; he was just a necessary evil.

"Calm down, Princess." Bellamy rolled his eyes. "She'll be perfectly safe with me."

As if to prove his point, he waved his gun lazily in the air. That didn't really make anyone feel better, but Bellamy didn't seem to notice or care. He simply tucked the gun back into the waistband of his jeans and made a 'get on with it' sort of hand gesture.

"It's better this way. Besides, I can handle myself." Melody said confidently, raising her chin slightly to hide how unsure of herself she was. "Any objections, Finn?"

"She'll be fine." Finn said reluctantly, his eyes locked with Melody's. "We are Apache." He echoed her earlier words and thumped one fist to his chest.

Then, they all went their separate ways.


	5. Chapter 5

**Five**

"So what's the deal with you and goggle boy?" Asked Bellamy. He didn't waste any time in getting straight to the point, his question accompanied by a curious and expectant glance in Melody's direction.

It was no surprise that he, like the rest of the group, was curious about the way she acted when it came to Jasper. She would have liked to give him a satisfactory answer, but even Melody herself didn't quite know where her determinedness and bravery had come from. It all just kept coming down to the thought of Jasper out there, all alone and wounded and probably scared out of his mind. That was more than enough to fuel her desire to find him.

"We're friends." Melody gave him a look that was clearly meant to say, _this is none of your business._

"You're telling me that you two are _just _friends?" Bellamy scoffed, looking less than convinced by Melody's vague explanation. He either didn't see the look she shot him, or he chose to ignore it. "I wouldn't go running off on a suicide mission for one of my _friends_."

_That's because you don't have any._

"You'd do it for Octavia."

"Octavia is my sister. I'd do anything for her." Bellamy argued, his voice taking on a more threatening tone once Octavia's name had been brought into the mix. It didn't sound as if it were meant to intimidate or frighten Melody; it seemed habitual.

"Jasper may not be my brother, but I would do anything for him." She explained, giving a lazy shrug. She turned her head a fraction of an inch to look at Bellamy. "We do crazy things for the people we care about."

An almost guilty expression flickered across Bellamy's face. It disappeared almost as quickly as it came, so quickly that Melody wondered if maybe she'd imagined it. But no, there was no imagining that. It was a look she knew far too well, one that she often wore herself whenever she was plagued by thoughts of the past she'd barely managed to escape. It made her wonder about what _he _might have to be guilty about.

Did Bellamy Blake have a deep, dark secret that he wasn't sharing?

Melody was the one to break the silence that had formed between them. "Why do you ask?"

"Huh?" Bellamy gave her a confused look, as if he had long ago lost interest in the conversation and had no idea what she was getting at.

"Why did you ask? About me and Jasper, I mean." Explained Melody, her curiosity replacing her earlier annoyance.

"Oh." Bellamy said flatly, shrugging one shoulder in a rather lazy motion. "I saw the two of you together. First in the dropship, when you were talking. And then when we landed and you were celebrating. You just looked kind of…close."

"Oh." Melody echoed his words, nodding her head. "That makes sense. We are close; or at least as close as two people can be whilst having known each other for less than forty-eight hours."

It was surreal to think that Melody had only known Jasper for little more than a day. He and Monty had accepted her into their little circle so whole-heartedly that she felt as if she had known them forever. It was only when situations like this arose that Melody was reminded of the truth.

"You've only known him since you got on the dropship?" Bellamy looked at Melody, his eyebrows raised in what could only be astonishment.

"Yes."

"Yet you almost intervened yesterday when Chancellor Junior looked like he was about to lay the goggle kid out." It was more of a statement than a question.

Bellamy looked at Melody expectantly, actually listening to her now, as if he were interested in getting his facts straight. The amount of effort he put into paying attention to her was actually off-putting, and left Melody feeling the full weight of his gaze. She shifted slightly and turned her head away from him, half hoping that he would get the hint let his gaze drop.

Why did he care, anyways?

"Yes."

"Andyou're risking your own life on the off-chance that he survived the attack from the grounders." Stated Bellamy.

"Yes."

"A guy you just met _yesterday_."

"_Yes__!_" Melody exclaimed, exasperated by the endless amount of questions that seemed to flow from the boy. She liked him better when he was being all broody and quiet. "How many times do I have to tell you?"

Bellamy held his hands up, looking at Melody with an amused smirk on his face. "Hey, I was just curious."

"Well, don't." She said flatly. "Mind your own business."

Melody knew that it was the wrong thing to say the moment the words left her lips. The light in Bellamy's eyes darkened and his smirk was replaced by a nasty scowl. It was hard not to be intimidated by the glare he was giving her, as if he were trying to light her on fire with just his eyes. Somehow, Melody managed to tear her gaze away from him. She kept her eyes forward and her legs moving at a slightly brisker pace.

It would have been too much to hope that Bellamy would just let it go and move on.

"These people _are_ my business." His voice was sharp, threatening. As if he were daring her to contradict him and suggest otherwise.

"Oh. Why's that?" Melody asked, looking back at Bellamy with a scowl of her own. "Because they listen to you?"

"Yes." His dark eyes narrowed. "They listen to me. They take my advice. I'm responsible for them and their wellbeing. Therefore, they are my business."

Melody couldn't help but to scoff at his words. From what she had seen, Bellamy ruled with an iron fist. He gave them two choices; obey or be punished. And with Murphy and his little gang backing Bellamy, no one dared to defy him. They may be criminals, but they weren't all ruthless killers. A lot of them were scared kids who had gotten thrown into the Sky Box for next to nothing. _Everything_on the Ark was a crime.

"They're scared. Scared of you, your psychotic side-kick, and the gun holstered at your hip." Melody informed him, pointing towards his right hip, where she could see the outline of the gun pressing against the fabric of his tee-shirt. "You aren't a leader Bellamy. You're a bully."

The pressure of his fingers wrapping around her arm caused Melody to cry out in surprise. Bellamy's grip was tight as he pulled her closer to him. His voice dropped to a deadly growl and his eyes were alit with a ferocious light that Melody had never seen before.

"Watch yourself, Melody." Warned the boy.

"Or what? You'll kill me?" Melody mocked, repeating the words he had thrown at her earlier.

It took a lot of energy, but Melody managed to pull her arm out of his grasp. The feeling of blood rushing back into her arm was almost painful. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Bellamy, taking a few steps away from him. She opened her mouth to say something else, but at that moment she heard a voice ringing out among the trees.

"Melody!" She immediately recognized the voice as Clarke's.

She turned towards the sound. "Clarke?"

"Hurry!"

She took off running in the direction of the voice before she could think better of it, her mind and body not exactly on the same wavelength yet. Or ever. Melody's heart was hammering in her chest as she ran blindly towards the place where she'd heard Clarke's voice coming from. There was something in the girl's tone of voice that spurred Melody on, forcing her to close the distance between them as quickly as possible. The sound of heavy footsteps followed her, and she knew that they belonged to the remainder of their search party.

_Please don't let her be dead._

Melody broke through a small clearing, stumbling to a slow stop as she came face to face with a small body of water. Not as big as the river had been, but bigger still than the creek that they'd tried to swing across. Her chest tightened and she took a cautious step backwards, eyeing the water with distrust. Nothing good ever seemed to come from the water on Earth. Actually, scratch that; nothing good seemed to come from _anything _on Earth.

There was a moment of hesitation as Melody stood there, staring into the dark depths of the small brook while weighing her options. If she didn't get across the water, there was no way she was going to make it to Clarke. And if she didn't make it to Clarke, who knew what would happen? There was no doubt in Melody's mind that Clarke was the only one of them who had even half a hope of keeping Jasper alive. They needed her. And, if her _hurry _was anything to go on, she needed them too.

"It's safe." A gruff voice muttered, coming up behind her.

Melody recognized the voice as Bellamy's even before she turned to face him. She couldn't stop the scowl from forming on her face as annoyance came bubbling to the surface once more. Where did he get off making that call? He didn't _know._ While she and the rest of the group had gone out to find Mount Weather, Bellamy had stayed behind in his cushy little tent and spent the day ordering people around. He hadn't seen the things she had. He hadn't seen the slithering sea serpent that was lurking just beneath the surface. He hadn't felt the fear she'd felt when they didn't know whether or not Octavia was going to survive.

He just didn't _know._

"Says who?" Demanded Melody, who was beginning to feel less than pleased by his constant presence. "_You_?"

"Says your _princess._" Bellamy remarked, jerking his head in the direction of something on the other side.

Melody followed his gaze, which came to rest on Clarke and Finn who were downstream a little ways. They were crouched down in front of some sort of rocky looking waterfall and were studying it closely. Relief flooded her when she realized that they weren't in any danger, as Melody had originally thought. No, they had just found something that needed to be brought to attention. It was time to set ground rules about which words were and were not allowed to be used whilst they were split up. 'Hurry' was the first word on that list.

When Melody finally took the plunge and stepped into the water, she was surprised to find that it was shallow. Even as she began moving downstream, the water level never rose above her waist, which meant she didn't have to worry about trying to swim. By proxy, this meant that she was in no danger of making a fool out of herself or drowning, which qualified as a win-win in her eyes. Sure, the water was a bit cold but it wasn't exactly unpleasant. If anything it seemed to leave her feeling refreshed.

"Clarke, you have _got _to get better at signaling us." Said Melody, when she had gotten close enough. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Sorry, Mels." Clarke gave her a sheepish smile, which actually looked more like a grimace than anything else. "We just found…well…"

Clarke trailed off and she nodded her head towards their newest discovery. Melody's eyes immediately registered the bright red blood that was coating the rocks surrounding the waterfall. It dripped down the rocks and stained the water below it. Even before she looked over both Clarke and Finn, Melody knew that the blood didn't belong to either one of them.

"Jasper." She said softly, bending down to get a closer look at the crimson streaks.

"They must have brought him here." Finn reached out and dipped his finger into the small pool of blood. "Recently." He added, wiping his hand in the dirt near the rocks.

"Finn thinks he can track him." Clarke told Melody, giving her an actual smile that was riddled with a cautious sort of hope and excitement. And then, Clarke held up something that made Melody gasp quietly.

Jasper's goggles.

"Track him? How?" Melody wondered, taking the goggles out of Clarke's hands and examining them. After a moment of examining them, she tucked them into her jacket and turned her attention towards Finn.

"Let me worry about it." He said, standing from his crouched position. "I'll find him."

Melody slowly nodded her head as she watched Finn turn and begin to walk away from them, presumably to lead the way to Jasper. Trust didn't come easy to Melody; it never had. And after Finn's earlier reluctance to find Jasper, Melody didn't know if she could rely on him anymore. And Clarke's eagerness to follow after Finn when she had been so obviously disgusted with him earlier almost made her a questionable ally as well.

"You'd better, Spacewalker." _Or you'll answer to me._

"We'll find him, Melody." A gentle hand rested upon Melody's shoulder and Clarke's kind eyes met hers. "We _will_ find him." Clarke gave Melody a rather half-hearted smile and then the two of them began to follow after Finn.

|oOo|

They walked for miles.

Finn led the group, eyes peeled as he studied everything around them. He looked at the dirt beneath their feet, the trees, the rocks; all of it. Melody assumed that he was searching for some sign that they were going in the right direction, but she had no experience with tracking so she couldn't be sure what exactly it was he hoped to find.

Clarke was at Finn's side, making small talk and trying to help out to the best of her abilities. But the girl's area of expertise was not tracking; it was doctoring. As much use as she was when it came to bumps and bruises, Clarke was nothing more than an extra set of hands right now. And Melody had a feeling that not being able to help more was bothering the poor princess, who was so used to taking charge and getting her hands dirty.

Melody and the rest of them trailed behind, having accepted the fact that they would be of no help at this stage of the rescue mission. Hell, Melody didn't even know if Bellamy and Murphy _wanted_ to help. Bellamy was only tagging along because Clarke had questioned his authority. Murphy was here because Bellamy was. And Wells…he seemed to have some sort of desperate need to keep Clarke safe. Melody guessed that the two of them had been friends once upon a time before they'd come down to Earth, although that certainly didn't seem to be the case anymore.

It was Murphy who broke the silence that had slowly formed over the group.

"Hey, how do we know this is the right way?" He asked suspiciously, looking between Clarke and Finn for answers.

It was Bellamy who responded. "We don't. Spacewalker thinks he's a tracker."

Melody was quickly regretting the level of testosterone in the group. To be honest, they were _all_ starting to wear on her nerves. Having been deprived of human contact for the last four years, Melody had gotten used to not having to listen to pointless comments with malicious undertones. Although it was all she had ever wanted, being among the living once again was proving to be a bigger adjustment than she'd imagined.

Mel hadn't even realized that they'd stopped until she nearly ran into Wells, who had come to an abrupt stop in front of her. Melody slowly followed his gaze until her eyes rested on Finn, who was crouched down near a small bush. She noticed the blood then, dark-red and dripping from the branches to form a small puddle on a bed of rocks below. It was probably still warm, and a sure indication that they were going in the right direction.

"Are we close?" Mel asked eagerly, pushing her way forward to stand beside Finn and Clarke.

As if in reply to her question, a strangled moaning sound echoed in the forest around them. It was so loud and sounded so close that Melody looked around the group, half expecting it to have come from one of their mouths. They were all looking around with similar surprised expressions on their faces. The sound had come from somewhere deeper into the forest.

"What the hell was that?" Finn stood up and turned towards direction of the noise. He cast a nervous glance back towards the rest of them.

Clarke instructed Bellamy to take out his gun, and Mel felt her chest tightening at the thought of the danger that lay on the other side of the trees. She wanted to be afraid, but she forced herself not to. She _had_ to continue. Jasper was out there somewhere and she was going to bring him back to Monty, just like she'd promised.

Melody found herself practically sandwiched between Bellamy and Murphy as they began to go after whatever creature had made that noise. She wanted to feel disgusted, and part of her did, but Melody was also glad that she was standing between the only _armed_ members of their group. Finn, Clarke, Wells, and Melody didn't have weapons. They hadn't thought they would need them. Which, looking back on it, was a very bad judgement call.

The walk through the trees was a short one. They soon came to a small break in the wooded area that led to a rather large clearing. The first thing that Melody noted was the long, thick grass that grew here. It was a lighter green color than what she had seen before, and it was greatly overgrown after decades of not being cared for. A little voice in the back of her mind reminded Melody that this was the perfect setup for any sort of predator that might be lurking around. The next thing she noticed was the large tree that stood alone in the middle of the little grotto. It was tall and wide and presumably old, but still beautiful.

And finally, she noticed the body hanging from it.

"Jasper."

Melody's eyes were fixated on the boy who had been tied to the topmost branches of the tree with what appeared to be some sort of rope. He'd just been left there, exposed to the world and positioned for anyone to stumble across him. Who the hell would do something like this? It wasn't enough to just hurt him. They had to torture him, too.

When a soft moan left the boy's lips, Melody felt nothing but relief. _For a moment she hadn't been sure whether or not he was alive or dead, but his soft, pain-filled noises confirmed what Melody had barely dared to hope for. He was alive. He had been stabbed and dragged through the forest before being strung up in a tree, but somehow he was still alive. _

"Oh my god, Jasper." Mel whispered softly, feeling equally relieved and horrified at what she was seeing. "Who did this to you?"

"Melody." She felt a strong hand grasp her shoulder as Bellamy whispered her name, for her ears only. "Maybe you shouldn't-"

Melody shrugged away from his touch and immediately began to move forward, her heart racing wildly. She didn't want anyone, _especially_ Bellamy Blake, to console her at the moment. She didn't need consoling. She didn't need to be coddled like a child and told 'maybe you shouldn't' in regards to anything. All she wanted to do now was get Jasper down and bring him home so she could make good on her word to Monty. And make good on her word to herself.

As Melody started for the tree, she heard the sound of shouting coming from the other side. She spun back around and her eyes landed on Clarke, who had stepped onto some sort of a false bottom and was dangling above an in-ground trap that must have been set by the grounders for exactly this reason. Bellamy stood above, holding onto Clarke with one hand, the only thing keeping her from falling into the trap.

_I need to save Jasper…but I need to save Clarke._

The fact that she even hesitated for a moment made Melody feel guilty. There shouldn't have been a choice to be made. Jasper was strung up on the tree; he wasn't going anywhere. Clarke was literally hanging by a thread, the only one who was in any sort of present danger. Melody ran back to Clarke's side, reaching down to grip her other arm. Mel's gaze flickered to Bellamy, who seemed to have had his own moment of hesitation. Luckily for them, there were three others there to help them make the right decision. The five of them managed to haul Clarke up and out of the hole she had nearly fallen into.

"You okay, Clarke?" Melody asked, once they'd gotten her settled safely on solid ground.

"I'm fine." Clarke brushed it off easily and climbed back to her feet. She had a two second rebound rate. "We need to worry about getting Jasper down."

"I'll go up and cut the ropes." Finn began to move towards the tree.

He wound up recruiting Murphy to help him with the ropes, since it was too much for one person to do alone. As an afterthought, Finn ordered Wells to stay close to the girls. He made some off-hand comment about watching Bellamy before he began to climb up the tree, and Melody couldn't really blame him for having suspicions.

"There's a poultice on his wound." Observed Clarke, her tone a mixture of bewildered curiosity.

Melody knew what that meant; _medicine._ On the Ark they had antibiotics, but in some of the old books they'd described naturally healing methods. There were all sorts of crazy ideas in there most of which Melody had never even thought possible. Apparently, the poultice idea was actually working. Which meant that the grounders had shot Jasper and then turned right around and given him something to heal the wound. Or partially-heal it, considering the fact that he looked as if he might stop breathing at any moment.

"Why would they keep him alive?" Mel didn't really want to question this, considering how lucky they were to have found Jasper still breathing, but things just didn't add up. What had been the point of shooting him in the first place?

"To string him up as live bait."

The thought was horrifying. Jasper had been shot and then strung up to be preyed upon by whatever predators might still be left on Earth? It was sick and cruel and the mere thought of it made Melody's stomach do flips.

"Maybe what they're trying to catch likes its dinner breathing." Bellamy suggested rather insensitively, his gaze shifting between Jasper and the trap that Clarke had almost fallen into.

"Maybe what they're trying to catch is _us_." Interjected Finn.

There was silence then, as they all took that in. Now that Finn had brought it up, that sounded like the most likely answer to her question. The grounders obviously didn't want them here. And they'd already shown that they would not hesitate before killing one of them. Or at least seriously injuring one of them.

They were in hot water.

"Be careful with him." Melody called up to Finn and Murphy, who were busily cutting the ropes. She didn't like the way Jasper's body was being poked and prodded and bumped against the tree.

"And hurry up." Clarke added, looking around nervously.

They were all nervous. At any moment the grounders could come back to collect Jasper. Or to collect whatever they had hoped to gain by stringing him up like that. None of them wanted to be around when that happened. Besides, there was nothing saying that the grounders weren't still out there, watching the whole thing and waiting for the right moment to strike.

The sound of twigs snapping caused Melody to whirl in the direction from which they had just come. She heard a low, predatory growl coming from the other side of the clearing. A soft gasp left her lips as she took a step back, away from the sound. She tried to look through the grass to see whatever was coming at them, but it was too thick.

"Bellamy, gun!" Clarke shouted, her voice mirroring Melody's rising panic.

The sound of gunshots filled the air, but it wasn't Bellamy who held the gun. It was Wells. Somehow, he had managed to get the gun away from Bellamy without anyone realizing it. There was one shot, then two, then three. None of them hit the target and with every passing moment he was wasting ammo that they didn't have.

"Wells!" Cried Melody, who had caught sight of the darkened shape of some sort of creature that was lurking in the tall grass.

The animal wasn't approaching them. Instead it was approaching Bellamy who was isolated in the middle of the tall grass. He was just a few yards away, but he couldn't run to them. Instead, he looked around anxiously, his eyes trying to follow the sound of the creature's growling.

Melody never thought that her heart would skip a beat for Bellamy Blake.

But that's exactly what happened when she watched the mutated panther leap for him. Mel reached out, as if she could stop the impending attack, but there was nothing she could do. Bellamy's back was to the creature and he didn't see it. There was nothing he could do to stop it from pouncing, even if he'd been aware of the impending attack. Time seemed to stand still as Melody watched on with horrified eyes, and then the final shot rang out. The panther fell to the ground by Bellamy's feet.

It was dead.

"Get him down before we all get eaten." Melody urged the two boys in the tree. They were working far too slowly for her liking, and she had the nagging suspicion that where there was one panther, there was another.

"We're doing our best, Mel." Finn sounded rather annoyed by the fact that she was trying to get them to move faster. As if that was such an outrageous request.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Finn. Are _you_ the one strung up like a piece of meat?" Melody asked, the question laced with sarcasm and obviously rhetorical. "Or the one on the ground, being attacked by mutated animals?"

"Melody." Clarke's voice as softer than Finn's and much more soothing. As much as Melody hated it, she felt herself calming slightly whenever Clarke spoke. "They're trying."

"Sorry." Mel muttered, although she felt little to no remorse for her words.

They were quiet then, watching as Finn and Murphy freed Jasper from the ropes that were holding him against the tree. Melody's anxiety rose with every passing moment. They all felt a bit paranoid and expected an attack at any moment. Whether it be grounder or animal. Both were equally terrifying.

"We've almost got him." Finn announced, about ten minutes after they had begun cutting. "You guys come close and be ready, just in case."

Melody didn't know what she was supposed to be getting ready for, but she stood at the base of the tree on high-alert. She, Clarke, Wells, and Bellamy made a small semi-circle around the tree. They held their arms out, and it became apparent to Melody that they were there to catch Jasper if he were to fall. As if he could survive the fall, on top of everything else.

"Alright, Murphy. I've got the top. You get the bottom." Finn ordered, wrapping his arms around Jasper's torso as the last of the ropes were cut away.

Together, the two of them managed to get Jasper out of the tree with a minimal amount of difficulty. Once they had lowered him down far enough, Bellamy and Wells took over. They supported Jasper's body and between the four of them, they managed to carry him.

Melody didn't stray from Jasper's side. It was terrifying to see him lying there, unconscious and still. But at least he was _alive. __And so, Melody treated him as if he were alive. _She busied herself with talking to him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her, and she brushed back his dark hair that was now caked with blood and dirt. She whispered sweet nothings into his ear and assured him that they would be home soon, and then they would fix him right up.

"I told you I'd find him." Finn said to Melody, grunting slightly as he worked to support Jasper's left side, with the help of Bellamy. Nevertheless, he managed to grin at her.

"You also said you weren't going to come." Melody reminded him, still not over that little fact. Still, Finn had led them to Jasper. And for that, she was grateful and thus her voice was just a tad bit softer when she spoke again. "But thank you."

The walk back to camp was taking longer than it had the first time, what with them having to carry Jasper's limp body. No one complained, not even once, and Melody half-suspected that it was for fear of her wrath. Not that she exactly had a whole lot of 'wrath' to dish out, but still no one complained.

"Are you sure you two are _just_ friends?" Finn asked, raising his eyebrows skeptically. "The way you look at him suggests otherwise."

By this point, Melody didn't even have the energy to deflect invasive questions. So, she decided just to humor him.

"We're _just_ friends." Mel insisted, looking at Jasper fondly.

"And the look?" Pressed Finn. He obviously wasn't going to give up easily. It sounded like someone else she knew…

"What look?" Melody asked, her voice more curious than defensive during this round of twenty questions. Bellamy had caught her at a bad time; Finn had gotten lucky.

"It's just…intense. Like he's the only person on the planet that really matters." Finn explained to the best of his ability, but Melody didn't recall giving Jasper any _look._

"Jasper was the first person I talked to in four years." Melody admitted, willingly offering up the very first detail about her personal life. "I was sent to the Sky Box when I was thirteen years old. Solitary. I guess, it just felt good to have someone, you know?"

There was a surprised hush among the group now as they listened to her story with surprised eyes. _All _of them. It made Melody a bit uncomfortable to be under such close scrutiny, especially considering how rusty her people skills were. And yet none of them seemed to be judging her; they just listened. She was hesitant to share anything with them, but for some reason she didn't feel like she was letting any of her secrets go. No one knew _why _she was in there, after all. They just knew that she'd been locked up for a while.

"Honestly, I was convinced we were all going to die on that ship. I thought we were doomed. But not Jasper. For some reason, he just held my hand and told me that it would all be okay." Continued Melody, her voice softening as she looked at Jasper with a sad sort of smile. "No one had ever done that before. No one had ever told me that it was going to be okay. He gave me hope. And when we got down here, he gave me more than that."

The rest of them remained silent, seemingly just as caught up in Melody's story as she was. It was strange, how vulnerable she was making herself in that moment. She was willingly dispelling all of this information, her innermost thoughts and feelings, and for what? Simply because they'd asked? Any other time, she would have been closed off and distant. But for now, with the sun slowly sinking and a peaceful silence between them all, she felt that it was okay to let it out a little at a time.

"You look at him like that because he was the only one there for you." Finn summarized looking at Melody with soft eyes. "The rest of us had someone. We came down here with hope of being reunited with our loved ones. Some of us came down here with friends. But you…you were alone."

Melody nodded her head, surprised that Finn had managed to put into words exactly what she was feeling. "And now I'm not."

"Now you're not." Finn repeated her words, but when he said them, they almost sounded like a promise.

|oOo|

It was dark before they made it back to the camp.

Clarke and Melody firstly made their way towards the dropship, with Wells and Finn shortly behind them. The two boys were now solely supporting Jasper, seeing as how Murphy and Bellamy had decided that carrying the panther back was more important than Jasper's safe arrival. They'd had to double back for the animal, after much insistence, which had resulted in their late return to camp.

"Who's hungry?" Bellamy shouted, dropping the panther in the middle of the circle that had quickly formed around them. Enthused cheers and words of gratitude echoed in Melody's ears as she turned her back on the sight and walked into the dropship.

Finn and Wells managed to get Jasper onto a makeshift cot before going out to find the supplies that Clarke would need to tend to Jasper's wound. Melody sat down beside the bed, brushing Jasper's hair out of his face once more and thanking whatever higher power there might be that he had made it back to them safely. She still wasn't quite willing to part with him.

As things settled down and they finally found themselves in a moment of peace, Melody turned to Clarke and offered her a small smile. "We did it."

"That we did." The blonde smiled back at her as she sat down on Jasper's other side. "We're lucky we went after him when we did."

"He'd be dead now if we hadn't." Melody said quietly, thinking about the dead panther that was about to become their dinner.

"But he isn't. He's _alive_, Melody." Clarke said gently, looking at Jasper, who appeared to be so fragile and sickly. "We did well."

They both looked up as they heard the sound of someone climbing up the ladder. It wasn't long before Monty popped his head up through the hatch, looking at them hopefully. "He's alive?"

"He's alive." Melody confirmed, gesturing to the boy who lay between her and Clarke. "See for yourself."

Monty wasted no time in rushing over towards them. Melody could practically see the relief wash across his face when he saw Jasper's chest rise and fall. Monty sat down beside her, hard, and let out a ragged breath. Sensing that he could use a friend, Mel reached out and entwined her fingers with his.

"He's _alive._" She repeated, giving Monty's fingers a gentle squeeze as she did so.

"Thank you, Melody." Monty's voice was shaky as he looked over at her. "Thank you for bringing him back."

Melody knew that Monty wasn't suggesting that the rescue mission had been a success because of _her_. There was a reason that he didn't thank Clarke or Finn or Wells. He was thanking Melody because she had gone in his place. She had been there for Jasper, as a friend, when Monty could not. And to him, that was precious.

"You're welcome." Mel whispered back, swallowing as she felt a lump begin to form in her throat. _Damn emotions._

Finn and Wells arrived soon, with the supplies that Clarke had requested. She took the clean water and gently washed away the dirt and blood that clung to Jasper's skin. Melody helped her with this part. Then Clarke had to tend to his wound, which Melody couldn't really stomach. Even if she could it wasn't like she would be much of a help. So, she sat idly by as Clarke bandaged Jasper and made sure he was in the best condition possible.

They couldn't stand by Jasper's side forever. After Clarke's instant urging that they go outside and make themselves busy, Melody and Monty finally left Jasper's bedside. They did so reluctantly, and with a lot of protest, but Clarke was firm in her decision and so they didn't really have much of a choice.

The two of them decided to sit by the fire. Monty thought that it might take their minds off of things, so Melody agreed with him. When they went outside, however, they found that the campfire was being put to use. Bellamy and his henchmen were surrounded the fire, cooking up the panther that had been brought back. Lined up as far as they could see was the rest of the 100, all of them itching to get something in their bellies after two days of rationing nutrition packets. One by one they stepped forward to receive their dinners.

It didn't take long for Melody to realize that there was more to this exchange than what met the eye. When each person stepped forward, they were greeted by either Murphy or another one of his group. Each was equipped with some sort of crow-bar looking piece of metal that they used to pry the wristbands off of people. As soon as the wristband came off it was tossed into a pile and the person was given a piece of meat and sent on their merry way.

"They're taking off their wristbands for food."

Clarke's voice interrupted Melody's thoughts. Green eyes met blue and Melody slowly nodded, feeling as horrified as Clarke looked. The last thing she wanted to do was take off her wristband. It was the only thing letting the people on the Ark know that she was alive. It was, quite literally, her life line.

"I won't do it." Clarke declared, shaking her head.

"You won't have to." Finn insisted, before he walked forward and took a piece of the meat, which was speared by a stick.

There was a few brief words between Finn and Murphy. Melody was too far away to hear what was said, but it resulted in Finn walking away and Murphy saying nothing. Clarke followed suit. It was when a third person went to do it that Bellamy noticed. Melody watched as his arm was drawn back, and then he let it sail forward to collide with the boy's cheek. The boy scrambled backwards, away from Bellamy.

This angered Melody for many reasons. The most important one being that Bellamy was doing exactly what she'd accused him of; ruling with fear. Bullying those who couldn't stand up for themselves. Before she could think better of it, she was half way across the campfire and standing in front of Bellamy.

"You think you can just beat up anyone who doesn't play by your rules?" Mel demanded angrily, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked at him.

Melody was well aware of the eyes on her. No one had dared to stand up to Bellamy thus far, not publicly, aside from Clarke. There had already been an audience from when he'd lunged for the poor boy who now had a bloody nose. Now their attention simply shifted, towards Melody, who they honestly expected to wind up in a similar distressed state.

"Don't test me, Melody." Bellamy warned, his voice dark and threatening. It was clear that he didn't like being challenged. Just as Melody didn't like being pushed around.

Her hand snapped out and towards the right, grabbing hold of one of the sticks that roasted above the fire. Her green gaze met Bellamy's and stayed there, as if challenging him. "Are you going to punch me, Bellamy? Make me bleed?"

Melody didn't know whether Bellamy would actually lash out at her or not. Where they came from, you didn't hit a woman. It was punishable by law, just like nearly everything else. But this wasn't the Ark; this was Earth. And Melody was playing with the big boys now. She knew what she was getting herself into. And she knew that she could take a hit and survive. Even a hit from Bellamy Blake.

"Of course not, Melody." Bellamy's tone had gone from dark to entirely too friendly, making her skin crawl.

Before Melody knew what was happening, she was being held between Murphy and his partner. Each had a firm grip on one of her arms and they were holding tight, lowering her to the ground. Melody struggled, but it was no use. She wasn't strong enough to get away from them. And even if she was, where would she run to?

"Bellamy, don't do this." Melody said, her voice surprisingly even. She actually sounded firm and in control. Which she definitely was _not_ at the moment.

"Sorry, sweetheart. If you want to eat, we get the little bracelet."

Bellamy moved forward slowly, crowbar in hand. Melody was desperate to get even one arm free, but the more she struggled the tighter they held her. Mel watched as her sleeve slowly crept upwards, revealing the shiny wristband that was monitoring her vitals. This was worse than getting beat on. So much worse, for so many reasons.

"Bellamy." Melody was closer to pleading than she would have liked. "If you do this they'll think I'm dead. They'll think we're _all_ dead."

Something in his eyes told Melody that he already knew that. He _wanted_ the Ark to think that they were dying. He didn't want them to come down to Earth. Melody knew that much, but she couldn't figure out why. What had happened that made him hate the Ark so much? What would make him condemn innocent people to death?

"You'll regret this." Melody whispered, shaking her head as she stared up at him with unforgiving eyes. She could hold a grudge; she _would_ hold a grudge.

"You'll thank me." Bellamy whispered in response, positioning the crowbar between the wristband and her skin.

_Don't hold your breath._

She heard the sickening sound of metal on metal. Bellamy grunted softly as he pushed downwards on the handle of the crowbar, intent on ridding her of the wristband. Nothing happened. For a moment, Melody thought that maybe it wouldn't work. Maybe her wristband was just in too deep, and it would take more than that to get it off. She could still feel the cool metal against her skin. Her vitals were still being recorded. All was well.

She was relieved, until Bellamy pressed down on the crowbar once again, harder this time.

And then, she felt the pain.


	6. Chapter 6

**Six**

"His pulse is thready."

Melody sat straight-up out of a dead sleep, her owlish-eyes blinking rapidly at Clarke for a few moments as her brain slowly began to process those words. Her body had moved faster than her mind again, and a thick veil of sleep made everything hazy.

"Thready? What does that mean?" Mumbled Melody, as she slowly pushed to her feet. She stumbled blindly for a few steps before coming to stand beside Jasper.

"It means I can hardly feel it." Clarke muttered. The girl's baby blue eyes fell upon Melody then, taking in the latter's state of sleep deprivation disapprovingly. "Did you sleep for even an hour, Melody?"

No, she hadn't. Melody's barely-contained anger towards Bellamy and her constant worry for Jasper had made her restless all night. The lack of sleep didn't bother Melody, though. She hadn't gotten very much sleep before she had been sent to Earth. Melody was constantly running on low batteries and it had yet to make her melt down, so that was a good sign. But she wasn't going to tell Clarke any of this.

"I'm fine, Clarke. You can hardly hear his pulse." Melody reminded her, looking down at Jasper.

As he had done continually throughout the night, Jasper let out a pained moan and his body began to writhe. Melody, used to the routine that they'd settled into, pressed her hand firmly against his shoulder to ensure that he didn't move too much. The last thing they wanted was for him to hurt himself even further. Almost as quickly as it had started, the episode stopped and Jasper was silent once more.

"_Shut that kid up_!"

"_Make him be quiet._"

"_Can't he just die already_?"

Melody was silently fuming as she glared in the direction of the hatch that led to the lower level of the drop ship. It wasn't the first time that they'd heard such remarks. The rest of the 100 were more worried about getting a full night's rest than whether or not Jasper would make it until morning. It disgusted Melody, but she supposed that was just how people were. Human nature truly was a frightening thing.

"Don't listen to them, Jasper. You're going to make it." Clarke ran a hand through Jasper's dark hair as she spoke softly to him. They'd been comforting him all night, and now it hardly seemed out of the ordinary. Clarke straightened up and began moving towards the exit. "I'm going to go get some clean water. Keep an eye on him."

Monty, who had been in the corner messing around with the wristbands, began to move towards where Jasper lay. Melody moved over to make room for him to sit. It didn't take two of them to watch him in his current state, but they'd quickly learned that having the company felt nicer than being there alone. They were silent for a few moments as they watched the ragged rise and fall of Jasper's chest, neither one of them knowing what to say.

It was Monty who spoke first. "About your bracelet, Melody." He began quietly and trailed off, leaving it open for Melody to protest.

And she did so, gladly.

"I don't want to talk about it, Monty. What's done is done." Melody replied not unkindly, running her fingers gently around the wrist that had previously been equipped with the metal band. There was a little bit of bruising there now, and the puncture marks from where the sensors had been ripped out of her flesh.

"Okay." Agreed Monty easily, nodding his head, smart enough to know that he shouldn't push the subject any further. "I just wanted you to know that I'm here for you. _We're_ here for you." He amended, gently patting Jasper's arm, as if it would have been rude to exclude him simply because he was in a comatose state.

The words succeeded in bringing a small smile to Melody's face. The more time she spent on Earth, the more she realized what she'd been missing out on all those years in the Sky Box. Having friends felt _great. _She was still out of practice and her people skills were having a hard time shaking off their rust, but no one seemed to mind.

"Thanks, Monty." Said Melody. "That means a lot."

Before Monty could reply, their attention was drawn back to Jasper. The boy began to let out a series of strangled moans and groans, his limbs thrashing wildly beyond his control. Mel anchored Jasper down once more and watched him with a slight frown, attempting to block out the complaining that could be heard from down below. It was true that things weren't looking good for Jasper. But things wouldn't be looking good for those kids either if they didn't keep their mouths shut.

"Don't let them get to you, Mel." Monty sighed. "They're idiots."

"Isn't it sad?" Melody asked suddenly, turning her thoughtful eyes onto Monty.

"Isn't what sad?"

"How little they care about human life." Melody explained with a sigh. "We know better than anyone what it's like to _be _the disposable ones. To have the value of our lives taken from us and completely disregarded. Each and every one of them has felt that way, and yet somehow they're not even phased by the thought of death. It's like the Ark has brainwashed us into thinking that death should be a common occurrence and we shouldn't put too much stock in it. It's _sad_."

Monty took a few moments to process her words. Ever so slowly a smile spread across his face as he watched Melody, who had fallen silent and was running her fingers through her hair absently. She was deep in thought, pondering her own words and wishing that there was some way she could make the rest of The 100 realize just what was at stake here. Monty looked completely taken aback by her explanation, but almost in a good way.

"You know, I can't figure you out Melody." He said after a few minutes of silence between the two of them.

_That's the plan._

"There isn't much to figure out." Replied Melody with a slight shrug of her shoulders.

"Yes there is." Monty argued. He was looking at her thoughtfully, as if he were trying to decide how to put his thoughts into words. "You're so…complex."

Melody had to scoff at that. _Her_? Complex? There was nothing even remotely complex about her personality.

"I'm not that hard to figure out, Monty. You and Jasper had me pegged from the beginning. I'm just _unapproachable._" Melody said, repeating that word he and Jasper had used with a teasing undertone.

"But you're not." Argued Monty, this time with a bit more conviction in his voice than before. "I thought you were. And maybe it seems that way because you're kinda closed off sometimes, but you aren't unapproachable, Melody. You're kind. And caring. And more thoughtful than all ninety-nine of us put together."

Melody didn't know whether she should feel complimented by Monty's words, or scared. The fact that he was beginning to observe her more carefully was worrisome. First he would observe, then he would understand, and then he would go screaming for the hills. She didn't like it when people read too deeply into her words and actions. If Melody had to pick between coming off as unapproachable or _thoughtful_, she would choose unapproachable. The thoughtful ones always seemed to be the first to go.

Luckily, Melody didn't have to confirm nor deny Monty's analysis. Just as she was about to speak, Clarke came climbing up the ladder and into the top half of the dropship. In her hand was a small cup that had been made from what appeared to be a hollowed out tree branch. The delinquents were learning how to become resourceful. And with the knives they'd made from the discarded metal of the dropship, it seemed that whittling had become a popular activity.

"I've got the water. How is he?" Clarke moved forward carefully, making sure not to spill the contents of the cup. It was unsurprising that Finn was close behind.

"Well, he's still dying." Melody said drolly, looking between Clarke and Jasper's unmoving body. "And they're still egging him on." Mel nodded her head in the direction of the hatch that separated the two sections. "But other than that, everything is _fantastic._"

Clarke didn't comment on Melody's sarcasm. Instead she moved forward and began to change Jasper's bandages just like she did every few hours, like clockwork. The bandages were really just strips of clean cloth, but they kept Jasper in one piece and prevented him from bleeding out all over the floor. It was unsurprising that Jasper began to become more vocal as Clarke tended to his wound. His pain-filled sounds filled the dropship as she re-dressed the wound as quickly as she possibly could. More complaints came from below, but none of them paid very much attention.

"The grounders cauterized his wound." Clarke said suddenly, her voice filled with fascination as she looked at Jasper's chest, where the spear had struck him. The flesh there was red and puffy; the wound was closed. "They saved his life."

"They saved his life to string him up as live bait." Finn amended from where he stood on the other side of Jasper.

Clarke ignored the boy's comment and continued to tend to Jasper. She seemed more interested in it than she had been before. Now that the poultice was being changed, she could see the extent of the damage. Or, lack of damage thanks to the grounders. After a few minutes of fixing him up and cleaning off the grime, Clarke paused and frowned, leaning closer to look at and prod his wound.

"What is it?" Melody didn't like the look on Clarke's face. She moved closer, assessing the damage herself, but all she saw was a cauterized wound.

"The wound is infected. He might be septic."

Melody might not speak doctor, but she knew what Clarke was getting at. Jasper's wound was infected and there was the chance that it might be poisoning his body. Once the infection got into your blood, you were done for. Everyone knew that. And the worst thing about it was that there was nothing they could do down here. Without the proper medication, Jasper would die.

"Any progress on using the wristbands to contact the Ark?"

Clarke's question was directed at Monty, who had been working on reversing the communication settings in the discarded wristbands. The boy didn't seem to hear anything he was saying. Monty's dark eyes were fixated upon Jasper's lifeless body as Clarke's words echoed in his ears. _Septic._

"Monty?" Clarke prompted, her voice a bit more urgent.

Monty seemed to snap out of his daze. "That would be a firm _no_." He informed her, his voice laced with frustration.

"Don't worry, Monty." Melody said, offering the boy a reassuring smile. "You'll get it."

It was obvious that Monty was slowly losing hope. And honestly, so was Melody. He had been toying around with the wristbands for two solid days now. Every time the bands were taken off, the communication system died immediately. Monty had done his best to try and bring them back to life, but so far nothing seemed to be working.

Melody didn't realize that their small group had grown by one until she heard Well's calm, calculated voice asking. "How's he doing?"

"How does it look like he's doing, Wells?" Clarke snapped, the cool and calm side of her retreating and bringing out a side that Melody had never seen before. A side that only instilled more panic in everybody in the room.

"I'm just trying to help." Replied Wells, sounding as patient as ever. He'd been given the cold shoulder ever since they'd gotten on the ground, but he hadn't once complained. Instead he'd just tried to help them to the best of his abilities. Melody was curious as to what caused Clarke's immense dislike of the Chancellor's son, but she knew better than to ask.

Another agonized groan from Jasper put Clarke into motion.

"Alright, you want to help?" She asked, turning to look at Wells expectantly. "Hold him down."

With Wells holding his legs and Finn holding his torso, Clarke began to cut into Jasper's body with a sterilized knife. Melody cringed away from the scene, holding a hand against her mouth as she watched on in horror while Jasper's blood began to slowly trickle from the wound. She had no idea what Clarke was trying to do, but it had to be something that would help Jasper in his struggle to survive.

Or so she thought, until Jasper began to wail. It was the worst bout yet, worse even than all of the other times combined. Melody could see only the whites of Jasper's eyes as he writhed on the table, obviously in immense pain yet unable to do anything about it. It took all of Melody's strength not to turn her head away from the awful sight. But she had to watch. It was Jasper who was on the table and Melody was determined to see this through.

"Hold him still!" Clarke ordered, turning to give Finn and Wells a sharp look. She was using her doctor's voice again. "I need to cut away the infected flesh."

Melody stood off to the side, watching intently as Clarke continued to cut through the flesh. Her stomach was churning in protest, but Melody didn't look away. She couldn't. She feared that if she were to even blink, Jasper might die while she wasn't looking. And that was something she wouldn't be able to live with.

"Stop it!" Octavia had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was kneeling by Jasper's side. She looked desperately at Clarke, who still wielded the knife. "You're killing him!"

"She's trying to save his life." Finn told Octavia, his voice strained as he continued to hold Jasper down against the table.

_Yeah, so get out._

Melody's thoughts were bitter, but she couldn't stop them from forming even though she knew it was wrong. She didn't want Octavia here. Octavia was the reason Jasper was in this mess in the first place. He'd been trying to impress her by crossing the lake first; by showing that he was strong and brave. And it had gotten him an arrow in the heart. Besides, she hadn't even come up to see him once since getting back. They'd all taken turns watching and caring for him, but not Octavia. She'd been laughing it up with the rest of the delinquents, having no cares in the world aside from having a good time.

Octavia was lucky that Melody was an even-tempered girl. More specifically, she was lucky that there was a bed and an overprotective older brother separating the two of them. Melody would have loved nothing more than to give Octavia a piece of her mind. Maybe more. But she knew that to do so would be to incur the wrath of Bellamy. That was something Melody could live without. But Bellamy Blake be damned, if Octavia hindered Jasper's recovery in any way she would be hearing from Melody.

"She can't save him." Speak of the devil, Bellamy was suddenly looming over the lot of them. He stood near the dropship hatch, arms crossed over his chest as he watched.

Wells stood up, probably hoping to intimidate Bellamy. It didn't work. Melody didn't think that Bellamy Blake _could_ be intimidated. He was overly-confident and obviously not above using brute force to get what he wanted. And Bellamy _always_ got what he wanted, even if he had to do unspeakable things to make it happen.

"We didn't drag him through miles of woods to let him die." Clarke argued, looking up at Bellamy with an annoyed, but concerned expression on her face.

"The kid's a goner." Countered Bellamy, looking at them all as if they were crazy. "If you can't see that, you're deluded. He's making people crazy."

"I'm sorry if Jasper is an inconvenience to you, but this isn't the Ark." Clarke snapped back, giving Bellamy a look that could kill. "Down here every life matters."

"Take a look at him. He's a lost cause." Said Bellamy slowly, causing them all to become silent.

They all took a moment to look at Jasper. It was apparent that Bellamy's words were beginning to wear on them all. Jasper looked so weak and lifeless. There was a light sheen of sweat coating his whole body, and he was uttering incomprehensible moans. The chances of him pulling out of this were very slim; they all knew that. But they were going to do everything in their power to make sure that the odds were in his favor.

Melody would make sure of that.

"He's not a lost cause." Melody said firmly, standing up and glaring at Bellamy. Hatred burned somewhere deep inside of her every time she looked into those dark-brown eyes. "If Clarke says she can help him, she can. There's hope."

Bellamy looked annoyed by Melody's words. "This isn't about hope. This is about guts; you don't have the guts to make the hard choices. I do. He's been like this for three days. And if he isn't better by tomorrow, I'll kill him myself."

He wouldn't. Melody wouldn't let him. She might stand alone, but she would stand in his way until her last breath left her body. And that was a promise.

Octavia chose to stay with them, despite Bellamy's order for her to follow after him. Melody was not the girl's biggest fan, but she did admire her determinedness. Now if she would just stay out of the way and let them _work_, maybe Melody would be satisfied.

"Power hungry, self-serving jackass." Monty remarked, watching as Bellamy retreated down the ladder. "He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

Melody was surprised to hear such words leave Monty's lips. He'd always been the quiet and docile one. It was good to know that he wasn't all sugar and spice; there was a fire burning somewhere deep inside of him. And Jasper was the only one that seemed able to provoke it.

"No offense." Monty tacked on, looking at Octavia.

The brunette simply shrugged one shoulder as if she knew that Monty was justified in saying those things about her brother. Octavia was the only one who saw the softer side of Bellamy. The rest of them couldn't even imagine that there _was_ another side.

"Yeah. Bellamy is all of those things." Finn said slowly, nodding his head. "But he also happens to be right."

All eyes snapped towards Finn. They wore similar expressions, all of which were clouded with disbelief and confusion. Melody stood up, looking at Finn with hard, cold eyes. She had been right not to fully trust him. He didn't care about Jasper's life any more than Bellamy did.

"You need to leave, Finn." Her tone was firm. She would not sit around and listen to one more person talk about Jasper's life as if it were something to be ended out of _convenience._

"I think I'd rather stay." Countered Finn, looking up at Melody with his own defensive look.

"She's right." Monty spoke, standing up to join Melody.

Finn looked between the two of them for a few moments before his gaze shifted towards Clarke. She didn't meet his eyes. Instead she made herself busy with examining Jasper's wound once more, although they all knew there was nothing more she could do. She wasn't openly joining them, but they had her support. And everyone knew it.

Finn left. And Clarke wasn't very far behind him, claiming that she needed to examine the poultice in better lighting. She wanted to figure out what it was made of so she could possibly prepare another one…or so she said. Melody was half-convinced that she wanted to go soothe Finn's wounded ego. And if that's what she wanted to do, more power to her. But Melody didn't feel the least bit sorry.

Melody sighed loudly and moved to sit at Jasper's side once more. It was down to just the three of them now. Melody, Monty, and Octavia. They were united with their common goal; keeping Jasper alive. Melody didn't fully trust Octavia. It seemed that she didn't fully trust _anyone._And for good reason, obviously.

"So what do we do now?" Octavia asked, looking between Monty and Melody. It was clear that she was the outsider here. Octavia understood why and wouldn't hold it against the two of them, just as they weren't currently holding the fact that she'd been AWOL since the Mount Weather trip against her.

"Now we wait." Melody replied gravely, her eyes once more on the sporadic rising and falling of Jasper's chest.

And that's what they did.

|oOo|

"She doesn't like me, Monty."

The sound of Octavia's voice woke Melody, who had been happily drifting in and out of consciousness for the last few hours. It was the first decent bit of sleep that she'd gotten since leaving the Ark, but it still wasn't a deep sleep. Not deep enough to completely block out her surroundings, anyways.

"It's not that, Octavia. She just doesn't know you." Monty replied quietly, shuffling around the room restlessly.

It was obvious that they were talking about Melody. The girl remained curled up on her side, trying to keep her breathing as even as possible. Pretending to be asleep in order to eavesdrop was something Melody had done a million times before. The situation had never been quite like this one, though. She'd never been the subject of discussion.

"I don't think she wants me up here." Octavia continued, her voice soft and urgent, as if she was trying not to get too loud. As if she were trying not to wake Melody.

_Too late for that one._

"She's just protective." Monty insisted, his voice taking on a sharper edge. Now _he_ was the one sounding protective. Loyal to a fault. "I think you guys could be friends, you know." Monty tacks on, his voice becoming gentler as he realizes his earlier lapse in composure.

Octavia laughs, but it comes out as more of a scoff than anything. "I don't think so, Monty. Allies maybe. But I don't see us becoming friends."

_She's got that right._

"You're a lot alike." Monty continues, not willing to take no for an answer. "You're both tough and closed-off to the world, but underneath it all you're both pretty great."

Melody couldn't stomach listening to them anymore, and so she chose that moment to yawn as loudly as she could. Making a show of stretching and shifting around on the floor, as if she had just woken up, Melody let out a few soft groans before stilling momentarily. And then she was sitting up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and pretending that she didn't hear that little conversation.

"Sleep well?" Octavia asked, smiling like she hadn't just been talking about Melody quite literally behind her back.

"Oh, wonderfully." Melody said, the smile she forced not meeting her eyes. It was hard for Melody to pretend when all she wanted to do was call Octavia and Monty out on their little gossip session. She knew that it would be for the best if she stayed quiet, though. It wasn't as if they were saying anything _bad_ about her.

"How is he?" Melody stood up to look at Jasper, who had long ago gone silent. That was what had caused her to fall asleep in the first place.

"Alive." Monty replied, shrugging one shoulder lazily. "Let's hope Clarke gets back soon, though. He's too quiet."

"With that fog? I doubt it." Octavia commented, leaning back to rest her weight on her elbows.

"Fog?" Mel questioned, looking between the two of them with curious eyes. "What fog?"

Monty and Octavia exchanged a look. It shouldn't have made Melody angry, but it did. She hated being out of the loop. Secrets did not make friends.

"What fog?" Pressed Melody, raising her eyebrows slightly to enunciate her question. Their lack of an answer was both annoying and slightly frightening.

"It's this yellow cloud of fog." Octavia said, locking eyes with Melody. "They noticed it rolling in and thought it looked dangerous. One kid decided that he would test it out and his skin practically melted off."

This was news to Melody. She must have slept through the entire thing, because she didn't recall waking up once. The few hours of sleep she had gotten last night were clearly not enough. Now, Melody felt guilty for having fallen asleep. A kid had died out there and she had slept right through it like a baby. Somehow that didn't seem quite fair.

"What about the others?" She asked anxiously, thinking about the ninety-four other kids that had survived the journey. Had they been caught in the fog, too?

"Well, we all heard the kid screaming." Monty continued, frowning at the memory. "And everyone else kind of piled into the dropship."

"Clarke and Finn?" Melody asked, looking at them with anxious eyes. As an afterthought, she tacked on another name. "Bellamy?"

"None of them are here. We're hoping they found shelter somewhere else."

That was not what Melody had wanted to hear. The thought of Clarke out there absolutely terrified her. Not only had Clarke proven to be a trustworthy ally, but she was the only doctor they had. Finn and Bellamy…Melody may not be their biggest fans, but she didn't want either one of them dead. _Yet._

The upper level was quickly becoming suffocating with the tension of this news. Melody excused herself to go to the lower-level, which would be full of more people but less that actually mattered. Being around Monty and Octavia and Jasper's limp body was more than she could bear at the moment, not when she felt like the weight of the world was coming down on her shoulders.

Melody wandered around the lower level for a bit. No one really talked to her, but she still walked around with a make-shift bottle of water in one hand and Jasper's goggles in the other. If anything, it was enough to keep her busy. But hope was quickly fading as she looked at the goggles in her hand. How much longer did Jasper have before he just stopped breathing all together?

Melody had only ever cared for one other person; her mother. Back on the Ark, Melody and her mother were all each other had. Melody had always been fiercely protective and felt responsible for the older woman that had always been so dainty and frail. Mel had done her best to protect her mother, but her best wasn't always good enough. She had failed on more than one occasion…And now she was failing with Jasper. Failing to keep him safe as his body turned on him. And being defenseless was one of the worst feelings in the word, next to being afraid. She'd only ever felt crippling fear one other time. And that was the time when she'd sliced open a man's throat.

Melody was continuing to walk around the mostly-sleeping bodies when she heard the sounds coming from above. Jasper was awake again and his pain-filled groans echoed throughout the lower level of the dropship. Melody's heart ached for the poor boy and she wished she could do more for him. Anything just to lessen the pain that he was feeling.

But apparently not everyone's heart ached with sympathy.

There were several complaints that went up around the room. Once again, there were shouts for someone just to end it all so that they could finally have some peace and quiet. Melody made it a point to remember the face of each and every person who complained, especially those who said such cruel and hateful things about Jasper. They were now on _the list._

The list wasn't a _real_ list, of course. It was more of a mental notepad of sorts, which contained the names all of the people that Melody either didn't trust of just didn't like. Bellamy's name was at the top of the list, since he fell underneath both categories. Shortly after his name was John Murphy, followed by several other people who would gladly see Jasper dead. Finn was on the verge of the list, but not quite.

Melody had hope for the spacewalker.

"That's it. I'm ending this."

The words caught Melody off guard. She turned just in time to see John Murphy rising from his hammock. Mel's eyes met Monty's from across the room and she could immediately see his panic flaring up. With a curt nod, Melody began to move towards Murphy. Her little signal was all it took for Monty to run for the ladder and begin to scurry up it, yelling to Octavia about Murphy's plans to kill Jasper.

Murphy had reached the top of the ladder just as Monty was closing the hatch. Melody watched as a slender leg lashed out once, twice, and a third time. Each kick landed accurately and Murphy was soon holding the side of his face whilst simultaneously trying to break open the hatch.

"I'm gonna kill that kid! Let me in!" Murphy howled with outrage, trying to force the hatch open. Someone or something was holding it down.

Melody had never been one to think rationally when in situations like this. Not that she had _been_in many situations like this before. Before she could think better of it, Melody had crossed the room and gripped the back of Murphy's shirt. With one strong tug, she brought the boy down the ladder and sent him skidding across the floor.

Murphy's surprise had been the only thing that allowed Melody to pull him off of the ladder. And now, it was the only thing keeping him from killing her. Mel knew that the boy would soon recover, though. You didn't oppose John Murphy and get away with it. With that thought in mind, she slipped her hand into her back pocket and pulled out the make-shift knife that she had acquired the night before. It was a carefully sharpened piece of metal with a handle; it was as deadly as weapons came on Earth.

Melody held the knife in front of her as she stared Murphy in the eyes. Her hand was on the verge of trembling, but she managed to keep the knife steady. "You're not killing _anyone_." She declared firmly.

"Oh yeah?" Murphy laughed as he looked at Melody, sizing her up for a moment before dismissing her as any real competition. "Who's going to stop me?"

"I am." Replied Melody boldly. Stupidly.

"And who are _you_?"

"Melody." She replied simply.

"And you think you can stop me, _Melody_?"

Murphy wasn't afraid of her. And he wasn't above proving it. He began to move forward, fully intent on doing some damage to her pretty little face. Melody lashed out with the knife, watching as Murphy jumped backwards, his eyes narrowing in anger. He hadn't expected her to actually make good on her promise. She continued to have the element of surprise, and it continued to work to her advantage.

"_I know I can."_ Melody retorted.

Murphy looked her over once again, harder this time, before replying. "You don't have the guts to kill me." He didn't sound quite as sure of himself as he had before, which Melody gladly noted.

"Oh yeah? Try me." Mel said, stepping forward.

When she took a step forward, Murphy took one back. There must have been something in Melody's eyes that showed she wasn't playing around with him. Two green orbs focused intently on Murphy, judging his every move, trying to calculate his decisions before he even made them. There was nothing even remotely playful about this; Melody was intent on winning. And she was both surprised and proud to realize that _Murphy _was the one retreating.

"You won't kill me." He repeated, taking a cautious step forward.

"I will. _Easily._" Melody knew that she would. If it came down to Murphy's life or Jasper's, Mel would gladly choose. "I won't lose even an ounce of sleep over it, either."

Murphy's dark gaze met hers once more and Melody was glad to see the indecision in his eyes. If he really wanted to, Murphy could probably take her. Melody wasn't a big, tough girl like some of the others. To say she was petite would be an understatement. Melody looked like a strong wind could blow her over. And her strength? She hadn't lifted a weight in years. She hadn't lifted anything in years. She was considerably weak. Fragile. Years of being locked up in a cell tended to have that effect on a person.

And yet she wasn't backing down.

It took more than a glorified bully to intimidate Melody Pond.

"You don't want to know what happened to the last person that made me angry." Murphy had resorted to threatening her, trying to intimidate her, but the words held no value to Melody. John Murphy was a bully and nothing more than that. The fact had never been clearer.

"And _you_ don't want to know what happened to the last person who made _me_ angry." Melody practically snarled the words through a set of clenched teeth, feeling more powerful than she ever had before. "You're not the first person to be at the mercy of my blade, John Murphy. And you definitely won't be the last."

Melody had probably revealed too much, but she was far too worked up to care about what she was saying. It's not like anyone would actually piece it together. A crowd had formed now, but they were all too eager for a fight to pay attention to the small talk. Some of them were even cheering on one side or the other. It was disgusting really, how much they looked forward to it, but at this point Melody would be more than happy to give them what they wanted. Killing for sport wasn't something she condoned. But killing to protect herself or someone she cared for? That was something Melody stood behind firmly.

Murphy lunged for her. Rather than backing up as expected, Melody stepped forward to meet him. Fear had the oddest effect on her. Rather than shutting her down, it seemed to wake her up. It brought out the best -and the worst- inside of her. Every one of her senses was fully alert. She could feel the blood pumping through her veins, and she'd never been more focused in her life. She wasn't afraid. She wasn't insecure. She was _ready. _And while she may not have been strong, Melody was quick.

So quick, in fact, that Murphy didn't even see her knife before it was embedded in his leg.

"_Melody_!" Monty's frantic voice could be heard from up above. She was running out of time, she was going to miss the window of opportunity.

Melody twisted the knife sharply before pulling it out of Murphy's leg. He shouted as he stumbled backwards, no longer able to hold himself up. Melody wasted no time in running for the ladder. The crowd cleared a path for her, and she made it to the base in record time. Being small meant she was quick, and being quick had saved her life. They were just slamming the hatch down once more when Murphy reached it. This time, they shoved a metal bar through the handle, which kept the hatch closed permanently.

Melody collapsed, taking Monty down with her. As she lay her head against his chest, Mel could hear the frantic beat of the boy's heart. Her own was pumping wildly, her breathing labored. Melody's eyes closed briefly, ignoring the obscenities and threats being shouted from the lower level. She wiped the blood from the blade on her pant leg and then let it clatter to the ground. She turned slightly into Monty's embrace, blocking out the rest of the world.

Only one thing really mattered.

They were safe…

_For now. _


	7. Chapter 7

**Seven**

It was dark before Clarke returned to camp, medicine in hand.

Melody and Octavia heard the shouts from outside as people welcomed her back. Figuring that it was safe to open the hatch now, the two girls rushed out of the dropship to greet Clarke, leaving Jasper in Monty's capable hands. After Melody's altercation with Murphy earlier in the day no one had dared to even _complain_ about Jasper. The chance of someone trying to put him out of his misery was slim. And if they tried, well, Melody still had her knife.

The three of them had spent the entire day locked up in the upper level of the dropship. It seemed like hours before Murphy stopped trying to force his way through the hatch. For a while they'd feared that the metal might give way and let him in. Luckily, as soon as the fog had cleared he'd left the dropship, probably to sulk and tend to his injured leg and plot all of their untimely deaths. Things had been peaceful since then, but Melody highly doubted she'd make it through the night. Not when Murphy told Bellamy what had gone down between the two of them.

Murphy was out for blood. Melody's blood.

"It's about time! They were going to kill Jasper." Octavia all but pounced on Clarke the moment they saw her.

"Did you get the medicine?" Wondered Melody anxiously, her mind flickering to the image of Jasper's worsening condition.

"Yeah, I got it." Clarke replied, her voice low. "Come on, let's go talk."

Clarke wrapped an arm around Octavia and tried to steer her in the direction of the dropship. There was something in her gaze, the way it nervously flickered towards the ground, that made Melody's stomach drop.

Something was wrong.

Octavia seemed to realize it, too. She pulled away from Clarke and continued on, heading towards where Bellamy stood near the entrance to the camp. Melody could see the outline of whatever Bellamy had dragged behind him on a make-shift cot. It only took a few moments for her to realize it was a body. And judging by Clarke's desperate attempt to divert their attention, it was the body of someone Octavia knew. Or, _had known. _

"Octavia, just stay there please." Bellamy pleaded. He held out one hand in the universal 'stay there' sign, as if that could somehow keep her from approaching. "Just stay back."

Octavia was having none of it. When did she ever listen to him? She continued forward as if she hadn't heard him, not stopping until she was kneeling beside the body. Melody watched from a few feet away, her stomach in knots at the thought of what Octavia might find beneath the jacket that was covering the dead kid.

The horrified expression on Octavia's face as she lifted the material away was gut-wrenching enough to cause Melody to step forward. She wanted to reach out, but she didn't know how. What could she say? What could she do?

"Octavia…" Bellamy tried to explain to Octavia that there was nothing he could do to save the boy, but words seemed to be failing him.

Melody recognized the one laying on the cot now; _Atom._He'd been one of Bellamy's right-hand men. The one that had been instructed to stay behind and watch camp while the rest of them had gone out searching for Jasper. She hadn't really known him, so while she mourned his loss there was no real emotional attachment there. But it was obvious that he had meant something to Octavia, even if just for a couple of days.

"_Don't._" Octavia raised one hand and glared at Bellamy as she spoke. "Just don't."

It was heart-wrenching to watch as Octavia slowly bent down and covered Atom's body once more. There was no mistaking the wetness that had begun to form in the girl's eyes. She was hurting and angry as she sat there, looking down at Atom as if she didn't quite know what to do. Melody could sympathize. Loss was always hard. And having to look into the dead eyes of someone you'd once cared about…there was nothing else like that sort of pain.

Melody was across the camp in a few long strides, putting both hands on Octavia's shoulders in an attempt to provide some sort of comfort. She was getting better at this. Better at interacting with people, and better at sensing what they needed from her. Melody wasn't heartless. She'd never been Octavia's biggest fan, but _no one _deserved to go through something like this alone. Melody knew first hand. She'd done it alone, and it had completely destroyed her. She wasn't about to watch that happen to someone else.

"Octavia, you should go help with Jasper." Instructed Melody, using a soothing yet authoritative voice that she didn't even know she possessed.

Octavia nodded her head reluctantly at Melody's words. She stood up and angrily made her way around Bellamy, who Melody suspected Octavia blamed for Atom's death. There was definitely more to that story than what she knew, but right now Melody didn't care to find out all of the gory details. Instead, she went to follow after Octavia, intent on finding Clarke and seeing how the medicine was affecting Jasper's recovery.

Before she even made it ten steps, a strong hand came out of nowhere and gripped her by the arm. Melody didn't even have time to react before she was being spun around and yanked forward like she was nothing more than a limp rag doll. She stumbled along for a few steps, tripping over her own two feet as she tried to straighten up and pull away.

Murphy yanked Melody to a hard stop as they stood before their unofficial leader's feet, presenting her proudly to Bellamy. "We've got a problem."

Bellamy looked between the two of them wearily and it was clear that he didn't want to deal with whatever trouble they had at the moment. He _never_ wanted to deal with Melody, but she somehow always seemed to be at the center of said trouble.

"And what's that?"

Melody tried to pull her arm free of Murphy's grasp, but he just sunk his nails into her arm in response, hard enough to break the skin. Melody resisted the urge to cry out in pain as tears pricked at the corners of her eyes. Instead, she clenched her jaw and stopped struggling as she stood before Bellamy.

"She managed to get her hands on a knife." Murphy said angrily, giving Melody's arm a rough shake in the process. "She tried to _kill me._"

A mixture of emotions flitted across Bellamy's face. First and foremost was surprise, as if he couldn't possibly imagine that Melody possessed the courage -and stupidity- that it took to stand up to Murphy. His gaze trailed over her heavily, from head to toe and then back again. His brows were furrowed and his lips pursed as he watched her, studying her closely as if he had missed something the first time around.

"She tried to kill you." Repeated Bellamy flatly.

"In cold blood." Murphy's vice-like grip tightened even further, to the point that Melody was unable to stop herself from crying out.

The sound seemed to spark something in Bellamy. His gaze flickered towards Melody's face, where cheeks were flushed and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. Their gazes clashed for several seconds before Bellamy looked away. His brown eyes grew impossibly darker as they took in the sight of Murphy's grip on Melody's forearm.

"Let her go." Bellamy's voice was overflowing with authority and yet somehow still remained soft, as if he were simply trying to persuade Murphy rather than flat-out demanding of him.

The request couldn't have been more out-of-character. Melody's gaze snapped to Bellamy's face and she stared at him long and hard, taking a few beats of silence to process his words. Was he actually _defending _her?

"What?" Murphy practically snarled the word beneath his breath. He was glaring at Melody with enough hatred that if looks could kill, she'd be six feet under. "Bellamy, she tried to _kill_ me."

"I _said_," Bellamy's voice was louder now, commanding. "Let her go. Now, Murphy. Don't make me repeat myself again."

Without waiting for Murphy to comply, Bellamy reached out and gripped Melody gently by the shoulder. He tugged her towards him and Murphy's hand fell away limply, leaving Melody free to cross the distance and stand by Bellamy's side.

"You're just going to let this go unpunished?" Asked Murphy in disbelief.

"Of course not." Bellamy's darkened gaze swung towards Melody. "Did you try to kill him, sweetheart?"

"No." Melody shook her head firmly. Now that she was out of Murphy's reach, she felt somehow safer than she had before, and therefore bolder. "I didn't _try_ to do anything. If I wanted him dead, he would be."

Something new flickered across Bellamy's face then. Melody thought that it might be along the lines of admiration. There was nothing about his body language that suggested he was even remotely angry about her response. His lips quirked slightly at the corners, but his arms stayed crossed tightly over his chest as he watched her. Maybe she should feel repulsed by the glint in Bellamy's eyes, but she almost felt proud. Proud that she had successfully stood up for herself. Proud that it hadn't gone unnoticed.

"I thought I was going to bleed out. I can barely walk on the damn thing." Murphy exaggerated, his glare never faltering. It wasn't exactly clear _who _he was glaring at now, probably both of them, but his eyes were deep and dark and full of promise; a promise to get revenge. "She needs to be punished for this."

"Melody wouldn't have just stabbed you for no reason, Murphy." Bellamy said, surprising them both as he defended Melody for the _second _time in one sitting. "She's too…_good._" He said the word like it was dirty and left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Bellamy's statement appalled Murphy. He looked between the two of them with narrowed eyes, unable to hide his confusion. He had every right to be confused. Melody was confused, too. She was just too surprised and engrossed in their conversation to voice it aloud or give them much of a reaction. Murphy, on the other hand, looked at Bellamy as if he had just murdered a dozen puppies and then bathed in their blood while listening to nursery rhymes.

"You're honestly taking _her _side?"

"I'm not taking anyone's side. I'm just saying that if she stabbed you, you must have done a helluva job pissing her off." Bellamy said, the corner of his mouth curving into the ghost of a smile.

"This isn't funny." Murphy's tone was furious and he looked as if he were already plotting ways to kill the both of them in his mind.

"Do you want to know what's _not_ funny?" Bellamy asked, his tone hardening. A scowl replaced the smile on his face as he turned his attention fully upon Murphy. "The fact that I trusted you to protect all of these people in my absence, and instead you let some little girl get the jump on you. _That's _not funny."

_"__Hey!" Snapped Melody. _

The fact that Bellamy and Murphy were talking about her as if she wasn't even there made Melody grind her teeth together in frustration. Little girl? Who were they calling a _little girl_? The last time she checked, she was the one on the winning end of the spectrum.

"It's not my fault." Murphy completely ignored Melody's protest, and instead began to defend himself to Bellamy. "All I wanted to do was shut that kid up."

"Jasper?" Bellamy looked sharply at Melody.

Mel nodded.

"He's still breathing." Murphy informed Bellamy, somehow slipping right back into the role of right-hand man. "I tried to take him out, but _Melody_ and your psycho little sister-"

Murphy didn't get to finish his sentence. Bellamy had shoved him backwards, hard, a fire in his eyes unlike any that Melody had seen before. It was fierce and blazing, a fire that could only be sparked by someone insulting Octavia. Melody saw the look in his eyes and it prompted her to take two steps back, because the last thing she wanted to be was in arms' length of the two of them.

"My what?" Bellamy grabbed Murphy by the collar of his shirt and shook him roughly, their faces practically touching as Bellamy bore down on him. "My _what_?"

Murphy had flipped a switch and was suddenly as composed as ever. The confusion and anger he'd been expressing was gone, replaced by an eerie sort of calm as he stared blankly up at Bellamy. It was the type of calm that was so out of place that it seemed almost sinister. The deadened look in his eyes caused Melody to shiver.

Murphy shoved Bellamy away from him with one hand, gaze never wavering. When he spoke, his voice was soft. "Your little sister."

"Yeah, that's right." Replied Bellamy. "My little sister."

Their gazes remained locked, cool steel clashing with raging fire. They were both too proud to tear their gaze away first. The amount of testosterone in the vicinity was threatening to suffocate her once again, but Melody found herself to engrossed in their little power struggle to even consider leaving.

The show-down ended with Murphy apologizing reluctantly. Bellamy didn't even acknowledge the apology, much less accept it. He simply looked away and barked out an order for someone to take care of Atom's body, which was still laying near the entrance. Without casting a second look in Murphy's direction, Bellamy effectively dismissed them and took off in the general direction of his tent.

Melody watched as the two of them went their separate ways. She'd been expecting the confrontation with Bellamy, but she hadn't been expecting it to go down quite like that. What was his angle? There had to be a reason that he'd chosen Melody over Murphy, but she couldn't figure it out for the life of her. Guilt, maybe? The removal of her wristband was still fresh in Melody's mind. She hadn't forgiven him for that. She would _never _forgive such a selfish, immoral act. Bellamy Blake could stand up for her every single day for the rest of their lives, and it still wouldn't be enough to make her forget what he'd done.

"Melody." Bellamy had paused a few yards away. He was standing there expectantly, watching her as she tried to piece together his motive.

When Melody looked up at him, Bellamy simply crooked a finger and gestured her forward.

There were a million reasons why Melody didn't want to be alone with him. For starters, he was kind of a shitty person. She was barely able to tolerate her presence when it was required of her, _especially _in light of recent events. The whole thing with the bracelets and with Jasper had just opened her eyes to what kind of person he truly was. And he wasn't the kind of person she had any sort of respect for. Spending time with Bellamy after hours was about as high up on her 'recreational activities' list as was gnawing off her own foot.

"I…uh, Jasper." She blurted out, unthinkingly. "I should go back and check on him."

That was a lie. She _wanted _to go back and check on him, but they both knew that he was perfectly safe in Clarke's capable hands. The excuse was more for her benefit than Jasper's. The last thing Melody wanted was to be stuck in a tent with Bellamy Blake, who was just about her least favorite person on the planet. Right below the grounders, of course.

"Clarke can manage."

"She might need some more water."

"I've got people supplying whatever she needs."

"Jasper could wake up, Clarke's already given him the medicine."

"Not likely."

"I told Monty that I would-"

"_Enough,__ Melody."_ Bellamy closed the distance between the two of them with just a few strides. He went to reach for her, but then thought better of it, his fingers twitching at his sides as he stared her down. "I said follow me."

Melody wasn't afraid of him, not directly. But she was _very _afraid of his influence, in more ways than one. Although she hated to admit it, most of the delinquents were already _his_ people. Crossing Bellamy Blake would ensure that she stood alone. Always.

Was that really what she wanted?

"Fine." Melody gave a stiff nod.

They walked back to his tent in silence.

Melody was unsurprised to find that he had claimed the best tent as his own. It was easily the size of several of the smaller tents put together, and about a hundred times nicer. Unlike the others, his tent was sturdy and erected in a way that suggested it wasn't lacking any of the required pieces. Most of the others had been rigged up with string and supported by tree branches. Now Melody knew why. Bellamy even had a mattress laying in one corner of the tent, while most of the others were left sleeping on blankets. _If _they were lucky.

_Who's the privileged now?_

She walked into the tent, her irritation towards Bellamy spiking once more. She was irritated at him for a lot of things, but mostly because he could just take whatever he wanted and could _do_ whatever he damn well pleased without any consequences. And they were all just expected to follow after him like lost little puppies, lest they wanted to be beaten or ostracized or worse. It wasn't fair.

"You can't just stab people, sweetheart." Bellamy's lecture began the moment the tent flap swung shut behind them.

He sat down on the edge of one of those cheap, folding card tables that was apparently being put to use as household furniture. A few extra articles of clothing littered the table top, along with a handful of nutrition packets and a ball of twine. There was no other furniture in the tent aside from his bed. Melody stood in the middle of the enclosed space, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she turned to face Bellamy.

"Why's that?"

"Because that's how you make enemies." Explained Bellamy slowly, his words heavy. "And trust me, you don't want any enemies here."

"I'm not here to make friends _or_ enemies, Bellamy." Even as she said the words, Melody couldn't quite bring herself to believe them. Hadn't she already made some of both? "I'm here to prove that Earth is habitable. Or at least I _was._"

Her fingertips brushed once more against the spot where her wristband had been just a few days prior. The area was still sore, but the bruises had already faded. The only trace that remained was the puncture marks on the underside of Melody's wrist, where the sensors had been imbedded in her flesh. Otherwise, it was like the band had never even been there.

"Don't give me that, Melody. To hell with the Chancellor and his 'mission.' You're here to _live._" Bellamy gave her another quick once-over. "But not if you don't play your cards right."

"Why not?" Melody knew that she was about to be treading in dangerous waters, but she couldn't keep the taunting edge out of her voice as she threw his own words back at him once again. "Are you going to kill me, Bellamy?"

"Not me, sweetheart. _Them._" Bellamy swept his arm out, gesturing towards the rest of the camp and its inhabitants. "The people get what they want. It's _always_ been that way. I'm the one that has to deliver. They want Jasper dead; _I_have to be the one to kill him if he doesn't recover. If you go around sticking your knife into anyone that pisses you off…I'll have no choice but to do something about it."

"You have a mind of your own, Bellamy." Melody wondered why everyone down here had forgotten that little fact. "You don't _have _to do _any_thing."

"That's where you're wrong, Melody." Bellamy gave a slow shake of his head. "I have to do a lot of things. I _have_ to provide for these people. I _have_to try and keep peace between everyone. I _have_to decide what's best in the long run. I have to _lead_them."

It was the first time that Melody had ever taken Bellamy's view on things into consideration. Their views couldn't have been more conflicting. She could see where Bellamy's train of thought stemmed form, and she supposed that he _did_ have to do all of those things. But wasn't it his own fault? Bellamy was the one who had stepped up and announced himself as their leader. If he couldn't handle the heat, he should stay out of the kitchen.

"I can't always protect you like I did tonight." Bellamy said quietly. His tone had lost most of its edge. Somehow, the gentleness in his voice had the opposite of the desired effect.

"I never asked you to!" Melody snapped out, unable to control her flaring temper. His sudden desire to protect her was infuriating. "I can handle myself, Bellamy."

"You _can't_, Melody." He let out an exasperated breath. "You're small. Weak. Untrained. You let your emotions control you. You're nothing compared to Murphy or the others, even on your best day."

The words sparked a hatred like none other in Melody's heart. The words hit far too close to home for her liking. For as long as she could remember, she'd been told the same things. She was too _dainty_. She was too _fragile. _She was too _vulnerable. _All her life people had been treating Melody like she was some sort of delicate little bird that needed saving. Her parents, her teachers, her friends, even her _prison guards. _And now Bellamy Blake.They all wrote her off as nothing more than a little slip of a girl who couldn't take care of herself.

Well, no more.

"Screw you, Bellamy!" She glared up at him, pure loathing shining in her cold, green eyes. "I'm pretty sure I'm not the one that got herself stabbed today, now am I? Maybe we should go ask Murphy how _weak _I am."

"Damn it, Melody." Bellamy was quickly losing his own patience. "Don't you get it? These guys are _criminals._They were in prison for a reason."

Bellamy acted as if he had her best interests at heart, but Melody didn't believe him for a second. He didn't care about what happened to her. All he cared about was himself and his image. If Melody went around defying him at every turn and sticking her nose where it didn't belong, then people would begin to question Bellamy's authority. He was doing all of this for his own selfish reasons, even if he refused to admit it. It was always an angle with him, a way to make himself appear more powerful than he really was.

Melody wasn't going to just sit by and watch bad things happen to good people. She'd never done it before and she wasn't going to start now.

"So was I." Melody's voice wavered slightly. She wanted to sound tough and mysterious, but it wasn't really working out for her. "Contrary to popular belief, I _do _know how to handle myself."

It just didn't seem possible that Bellamy was looking out for her. Up until now, all of his actions had fueled by self-centered motives. He and Melody had been at each other's throats from the very beginning. Everything she did seemed to just piss him off even further. And everything he did _definitely_pissed her off to no end. They had no common ground, aside from their stubbornness. Why in the world would Bellamy suddenly flip his switch and decide that he wanted to bury the hatchet?

Sure, he had been nothing but good to her since he'd gotten back…but it had only been, what, thirty minutes? If that? Maybe he had pulled her away from that psychopath Murphy and his murderous tendencies, but that didn't mean anything. Did it?

For a moment, Melody allowed herself to wonder _what if_? What if Bellamy was being sincere? Maybe he really _did _want to look out for her. Maybe somewhere deep down he had a weakness for little girls with big attitudes and fire in their souls. Maybe she was just making an ass out of herself by constantly rebuffing him and questioning everything he said to her.

No sooner than Melody had wondered all of these things, something between them seemed to shift.

Bellamy's gaze darkened and a smug smirk spread across his face. The look he was giving her, like she was a fly caught in the spider's web, caused Melody to take an involuntary step back. The man that had stood in front of her, the one who had almost seemed _human_ in his attempts to advise her, was gone. In his place was the Bellamy that Melody knew all too well. The snarky, arrogant boy that knew how to get exactly what he wanted.

"Oh, I know, Melody." Bellamy's voice was soft. It had almost a sinister edge. "I know _exactly_why you were thrown into the Sky Box."

|oOo|

It felt like she was suffocating.

Melody's chest constricted painfully, the tightness there rendering her breathless. She drew in ragged lungfuls of air, but nothing could ease the wildfire that was quickly taking over in her chest. There was a fire in her heart and ice in her veins, the pain unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Mel placed a palm against her heart in an attempt to calm its sporadic beating, but if anything that just seemed to spur it on even further.

_This can't be happening._

It was like she was drowning, with no hope of ever reaching the surface. She was trying to run for her life, but she couldn't. The panic that flowed through her veins was all-consuming. It felt like she needed to get out, like she needed to run, and if she didn't she was surely going to die. But get out of _where_? Her own body? How could she run away from herself? And if death was coming to take all of these feelings away, she would almost welcome it.

Melody had no idea how Bellamy could have gotten knowledge of her crimes against the Ark. She hadn't told a soul what she'd done to get admitted to the Sky Box. The only people to have access to those records were council members, guardsmen, and the Chancellor himself. Unless he was there that day…

No. No one had been there. Melody remembered the day as clearly as if it had been yesterday.

_The door to the examination room slowly slid open as the doctor entered, clipboard in hand._

"_Melody. So good to see you." Doctor Jason Evans had greeted her as familiarly as any other day, with an all-too wide smile and a gentle hand on her shoulder._

"_Good afternoon, Doctor." Melody had replied, her tone a little less than friendly. A little too stiff. "I trust you're doing well."_

_Melody had always been a peculiar thirteen year old. She was much more mature than the other children her age. Having been raised only by her intelligent and well-mannered mother had turned Melody into an almost carbon copy. Most people found it adorable and endearing that she acted like a miniature adult. Melody found it to be normal. This was how proper young ladies were supposed to behave. This was all she had ever known._

"_Very well. Are you ill, Melody?" The doctor's tone had gone from good-natured to full of concern in a matter of moments._

_His hand reached for her then, and Melody forced herself not to cringe away from the touch that was far too personal for her liking. She felt his hand run through her hair, parting the reddish-orange strands and twirling them around in his fingers._

"_I'm not ill." Melody had replied, leaning out of his reach. "It's my mother."_

_The doctor no longer looked as concerned, which irritated Melody. For as long as she could remember the Good Doctor had been slipping into their quarters in the evening and leaving before the sun rose the next day. He and her mother had been involved in a relationship that Melody knew little about. What she saw with her own two eyes was very different from what had happened behind closed doors._

"_Oh. What does your mother need?" The doctor wondered, sounding slightly impatient now. "More sleeping pills? Extra food rations? I told her we'd have to be careful now. I cannot keep indulging her in such things."_

_Melody's discomfort and irritation only continued to grow with each word that the doctor spoke. He'd provided her and her mother with so much over the years that they had grown to depend on him. Alone they could not provide for themselves. That was why he'd been allowed into their lives in the first place. It had been a mistake to allow him to have so much power over their lives, over them. _

_Melody was intent on rectifying that mistake. _

"_Actually, she says she no longer needs your food rations or sleeping pills. I'm old enough to work in the factory now." Melody said boldly, swinging her small legs that didn't quite reach the floor back and forth. "Mother says I can pay for my own rations and sleep no longer troubles her."_

_The words were a lie. Melody's mother hadn't told her to tell the doctor anything of the sort. In fact, Melody's mother was currently at home sleeping off the previous over-night shift in the factory. It had been her own idea to come down and settle things. It was something she'd been thinking about for a while, ever since she'd become old enough to realize the reality of their unique situation. Of course, her mother had never said anything about not wanting the doctor in their lives. But she hadn't needed to._

_Melody saw the bruises. She noticed the way her mother flinched at the smallest of things, such as a door closing too loudly or a book falling off of a shelf. Melody's mother had never been strong. She'd always been weak; submissive, even. She'd allowed the doctor to rule their lives for too long and Melody was beginning to catch on now. She couldn't let it continue. _

_Melody felt that it was her duty to change things. After all, she'd failed to protect her mother from this sinister man for so many years. She wouldn't let even one more day go by without standing up for the only person she had ever truly loved. Maybe she was small, and maybe she was weak, but she was determined. _

_To Melody's surprise the doctor looked angry after she had spoken. She'd expected him to be relieved. He no longer had to take care of them as he had been doing for the last few years. He didn't have to risk his job and his life to sneak them the extra little things that they'd required over the years to survive. He was finally free of them, the burden that he'd shouldered for so many years. _

"_She thinks she can just get rid of me?" Doctor Evans practically snarled the words as he grabbed Melody by the shoulder. His good-naturedness had disappeared completely, and was replaced with pure rage. The look in his eyes terrified Melody, who up until this point had never been involved in any sort of confrontation._

"_I-I don't know." Stammered the small girl, looking up at the male with wide eyes._

"_Well I'll show her. I'll show the both of you. I've done an awful lot for you, Melody Pond. An awful lot." He said again, to emphasize his words. "And I think it's about time I get something in return._

_Melody was confused. She didn't have anything to offer the doctor. So, she tried to reason with him. "I don't have anything. Mother just told me to-"_

_Her head roughly snapped to one side then, causing a sickening crack to echo throughout the room. There was a sharp ringing noise resonating in the small space; or perhaps it was only in her ears. It took Melody a few moments to realize that the Doctor had actually slapped her._

_The young girl pressed one hand to her cheek which was quickly growing warm as it throbbed beneath her tentative fingers. To say that she was surprised would be an understatement. Melody was surprised, but most of all she was afraid, very afraid, and disgusted. Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she stared over at him, her image of the man completely changing in a matter of moments. _

_What kind of man preyed on children?_

_Melody never got her answer._

_All she got in return to her silent question was the sound of his belt falling to the floor._

_And she was were never the same after that._

"Melody?"

A hand on Melody's shoulder caused her to lash out blindly. She was still lost in a dream-like state as she recalled memories that she had forced herself to bury many years ago. Memories that were better left untouched.

The sound of skin-on-skin contact made her look up with wide eyes. Mel could see the red mark already beginning to form on Bellamy's face. He'd grabbed her wrist with one hand and now held it, suspended in mid-air.

Bellamy looked furious and it caused Melody take a hasty step backwards. This obviously surprised Bellamy; Melody had _never_ backed away from confrontation, not with him. She'd always seemed to embrace it. That was something that he had always admired about her, although he would never admit it out loud. The girl in front of him was anything but admirable; she was almost a puddle at his feet.

Something resembling concern flickered in his eyes for a moment before Bellamy let go of Melody's wrist and stepped backwards himself. He didn't know how to process seeing this side of her. So weak and vulnerable.

Melody's voice was hoarse when she spoke. "How did you find out?" There was an urgency present in her tone; she sounded desperate. She _felt _desperate, as if her whole world was caving in around her.

"I was training to be a guard back then. There was news about some kid that had killed a doctor in cold blood. A little girl that was only thirteen years old…Her name was Melody. Melody Pond." Bellamy explained, crossing his arms over his chest almost defensively. As if _he_ was the one who should be defensive. "You talked about being sent to the Sky Box when you were young. You said you hadn't talked to another human being in years. You're always the first one ready to stand up and fight, even if the odds are stacked against you, because you _know_ you can handle yourself when it comes down to it. You've done it before and you can do it again."

Bellamy's assessment of her made Melody's blood run cold. Bellamy Blake was the _last_ person that she wanted to know about her deep, dark secret. Melody suddenly felt like she had when she was a child; weak, defenseless, and terrified. The tough outer shell that she had tried to build up over the last few years and _especially _over the last few days was slowly crumbling into dust. Bellamy somehow saw through it, and that thought alone was terrifying.

"I was a different person back then." She wanted to sound strong and secure, but her voice broke in the middle of her sentence. Melody cleared her throat. "I don't make it a habit of just going around and killing people."

"Just stabbing them, right?" Asked Bellamy. The words were meant to be a joke, but the severity of the situation was dire. It wasn't something that Melody could take lightly, and so she didn't even so much as crack a smile.

"Bellamy…" Melody trailed off, not knowing what to say. Every instinct told her to get on her knees and beg him not to tell anyone. But Melody was not the begging type. She never had been and never would be. Not if she could help it.

"I won't tell anyone, Melody." Bellamy said suddenly, surprising her. "We all have our secrets, don't we?"

Why the hell would he make it a point to let her know that he knew her secret if he didn't plan on using it against her?

An odd look had clouded over his face. It was as if he understood her urgency to keep this between the two of them and was rethinking his gameplan. Melody wondered for a moment what Bellamy was hiding, but she didn't allow herself to dwell on it. She couldn't.

"Yes." Melody nodded slowly, not fully trusting him to keep his word. "We do. And I'd like for my skeletons to stay in the closet. After all, I've been pardoned, right?"

Bellamy smiled slightly at Melody's comment, which held just the slightest hint of sarcasm. She was beginning to sound a bit like her old self again. For a few moments she had scared him, which was not an easy thing to do. Melody was a pain in his ass, but Bellamy respected her. She knew what she want and she went for it, even if the odds weren't in her favor. That was admirable. Seeing her so vulnerable had unsettled him in ways he didn't know to be possible. Just as Melody was certain he had a deep dark secret, Bellamy was certain that her story had more to it than she let on.

"Right. Pardoned." Bellamy agreed, nodding his head and looking at her once more. It was a relief to see that she had managed to compose herself once more. "Now run along and check on goggle boy."

Melody was eager to do just that. The fact that she had let her guard down like that around Bellamy was mortifying. He'd nearly seen her fall apart at the seams as those horrid memories assaulted her mind. Luckily, Melody had managed to pick herself back up again before she'd been reduced to the frightened, sniveling little girl that she had been so many years ago. Just barely, though.

She all but ran to the dropship. It had been nearly half an hour since Clarke had returned with the medicine. Melody knew that by now she would have brewed the tea that could potentially save Jasper's life. While they'd been busy helping Jasper, she'd been trapped in her own personal hell; her own mind. Assaulted by memories that should have been left in the dark. That _would _have been left there, if not for Bellamy.

Mel climbed the ladder with an urgency to forget the event that had just taken place in Bellamy's tent. She wanted nothing more than to bury those memories away again and lock them up, just as she had managed to do before. But Melody knew that it would never happen. Tonight her dreams would be nightmares. The face of Doctor Evans would haunt her dreams for the first time in years.

_You wouldn't be worth the guilt._

Melody recalled saying those words to Bellamy when they'd been fighting a few days earlier. He had probably brushed them off as meaningless, but they held a lot of meaning for Melody. The guilt never really went away. She had managed to stop thinking about the night she'd killed Jason Evans, but it was always lingering in the background.

And Bellamy had brought it to light.

"There she is." Monty's friendly voice was warm and welcoming as Melody entered the upper level of the dropship. "Clarke just made the tea."

Melody looked around the room that was filled with people she was slowly beginning to care about. They all looked at her with wide smiles, eager to update her on Jasper's progress. There wasn't much progress of course, but nevertheless they filled her in with every little detail. They cared enough to keep her informed. They cared enough to make her feel like a part of every little step towards Jasper's recovery; the bottom line was, they cared about _her._

Bonds formed quickly on Earth. Everyone was beginning to realize that this was it; they were all each other had. Melody had realized this herself just before joining her friends in the dropship. She had to let go of her grudges and move on; there was no time to be petty.

"I hear you stabbed Murphy in the leg." Finn said, grinning at Melody. There was just a hint of pride in his voice. Melody returned the smile and shrugged one shoulder in response.

The memory of what she had done to Murphy made her think of the conversation she'd just had with Bellamy. His warnings and his revelations…None of which sat well with her. It was all she could think about. It wasn't all-consuming as it had been. She wasn't physically brought to the point of pain by her panic anymore. She'd composed herself slightly. Just enough to pick herself up and make it through the rest of the night.

"She totally kicked ass." Monty said, smiling as he moved forward to wrap one arm around Melody's shoulder. "She's the reason Jasper's alive right now."

The words caused Melody to pause.

She looked down at the boy who was already beginning to regain a bit of his color. The tea wasn't working quickly, but it was working. Had Melody not been there to stop Murphy, Jasper may not have made it long enough to stand a chance at fighting whatever was slowly taking over his body. _She_was the reason he was still fighting. _She_was the reason Jasper would live another day. This should have made her happy.

"You did a good job, Melody." Clarke praised her, offering one of her small, pleasant smiles. "You saved his life."

The words were meant to make Melody feel good, but all they did was make her feel even worse than before. The one thing about your past is that you can never escape it; Melody was no exception to the rule.

And while they cheered her on for saving a life, Melody couldn't help but wonder how they would react if they knew she had ended one just as easily.


	8. Chapter 8

**Eight**

They discovered that Melody had an infectious laugh.

When she had first openly laughed at some half-assed joke from Finn, everyone had kind of grown quiet. But Melody hadn't even noticed. What had started out as a small string of giggles had soon turned into full blown clutch-your-sides, rolling-on-the-floor _howling_. Mel couldn't even remember the last time she'd laughed without having to force it. And now that the laughter had started, she was finding it hard to stop. The joke hadn't been that funny; it hadn't even been _clever._ But it didn't stop Melody from laughing until her sides ached and tears streamed down her face. And soon they were all joining in, unable to feel anything other than amazement at how much Melody had changed in just a matter of hours.

When they did finally manage to sober up, they were all wearing matching grins. Even Melody who, up until this moment, hadn't even known it was _possible_ to be this happy. Once she had made the decision to let these people into her life whole-heartedly, everything had changed. Melody no longer felt like it was her against the world. For the first time ever, she had friends. People that were there for her simply because they cared. People that asked how she was doing and actually wanted an answer. People that accepted her for _her_. And all they wanted in return was her friendship. It was a strange concept, but it was one that Melody was quickly coming to accept.

Octavia, Monty, Melody, and Finn were sitting in a semi-circle on one side of the upper level, letting Jasper rest as the medicinal tea worked its way through his body. Finn had brought back a flask that he'd found in some abandoned car and offered to share it amongst the four of them as they told stories and cracked jokes to pass the time. After much debate, it was decided that Melody would get the honor of the first taste.

She didn't allow herself to hesitate. She took the bottle from Finn and brought it to her lips, throwing back a large swallow of the foreign drink before she could change her mind. The potent liquid burned through Melody like wildfire, leaving a strong but enjoyable warmth in its wake. Coughing and sputtering, Melody buried her face in the crook of her elbow as her first taste of alcohol was forever burned into her mind; and her throat.

"Holy shit." She didn't like the taste of the whiskey or the burning sensation, but she found it fun to indulge in something "forbidden" for once in her life.

The drink was then passed to her left, to Monty. He took a longer swallow than she had, which ended in a grimace. "Smooth." He commented, passing the bottle to Octavia.

Octavia was more hesitant than Melody would have expected her to be. After all, this was the girl who jumped headfirst into any kind of rebellious adventure. It took a little bit of convincing, but eventually Octavia gave in and she too brought the bottle too her lips. The look on her face was priceless.

"Disgusting…love it." Octavia wrinkled her nose and handed the bottle back to Finn.

Finn took the bottle back with a laugh. Out of all of them, it seemed that he was the one who could handle his liquor the best. Monty was runner up, of course, and then Octavia. Melody was dead last. No one else had nearly choked to death on the liquor.

Just when Finn was bringing the flask back to his lips, a new sound made them all pause.

A new voice_._

_Jasper's_ voice.

"Can I, uh…get a hit of that?"

There was a moment of stunned silence while they all exchanged awestruck glances. In sync, they all scrambled to their feet and took off in the direction of Jasper's bedside. Melody practically tripped over her own two feet several times in her attempt to reach him. She didn't know if it was the alcohol or just her own clumsiness, but she didn't pause long enough to figure it out.

"Jasper!" Monty had leapt onto the make-shift bed and was leaning over Jasper by the time the rest of them got there. The joyous look on his face made Melody want to burst into happy sobs; he was just so _relieved_. And eager. The friendship between the two boys made her both happy and envious at the same time.

Finn gently cupped the back of Jasper's head and let him drink, as requested, but not from the bottle. Seeing as how he had just narrowly escaped death, the only thing they allowed him to drink was water. If Clarke even suspected that they'd given him anything else, _they _would be the ones laying on the death bed.

"Welcome back, buddy." Finn grinned down at Jasper.

The boy gave him a weak smile in return.

Monty reached out and clasped Jasper's hands, giving him a half-assed high-five. Melody suspected that Monty was just looking for some physical contact judging by the way he gripped Jasper's hands tightly for a few moments. It was one thing to hear him and see him, but to _feel_ him made it real.

And then, Melody couldn't contain herself anymore.

With a quiet sob, she threw her arms around Jasper as gently as possible and clung to him without putting too much pressure on his wound. For the first time the seriousness of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. Hearing Jasper's voice and watching him smile had caused her to come un-done. What if she had never heard that beautiful voice again? The thought seemed almost unbearable now.

"Hi, Mellie." Jasper whispered quietly, lifting one arm to wrap it around her shoulders. Melody knew that it must have been painful for him to move, for him to be holding onto her, but he didn't complain.

"I thought you were dead." Melody whispered, her voice ragged as she pulled back to look down at his face. Oh, that _beautiful_ face. Color was beginning to seep back into his skin and for the first time in days Jasper looked like a person rather than a corpse.

"You and me both." His response was accompanied by a shaky laugh. "Was that a dream or did I get speared?"

"You'll have a very impressive scar to prove it." Clarke had climbed the last few rungs of the ladder, overhearing the conversation, and she hurried to join them by Jasper's bedside.

"My savior." Jasper said in a sing-song voice. A real grin lit up his face then as he looked at Clarke, who was very much the reason he had survived.

"Thank you for not dying. I don't think I could have taken that today." Clarke admitted with a shaky laugh.

"I'll try not to die tomorrow, too, if that's cool." Replied Jasper, causing them all to laugh. Even in such a grave situation he didn't fail to make them all feel a hundred times better. Better than any of them had felt in days.

It was then that Octavia reached out to him, gently placing one hand on his arm. Jasper turned his head then, noticing her for the first time. Another grin broke out on his face as he got that mischievous look in his eyes. "Oh, _hello_."

And for then, things were alright.

|oOo|

Bad news always seemed to follow the good. That was proven when not even a few days after Jasper escaped death, someone else succumbed to it.

Clarke found Wells' lifeless body at his post just after dawn only two days after Jasper had woken up. Wells had been on watch that night, so no one had really noticed his absence from the camp. It wasn't until the next morning when they still hadn't seen him that Clarke began to worry; and she worried alone. Wells was not the kind of guy that could easily blend into the background because he was the kind of guy that _always_ had something to say. He was the know-it-all type that acted as if he were superior to everyone around him. That was why most people didn't look for him. And it was why even more didn't truly mourn him.

Melody mourned him, though. Not because she had liked Wells, because she really hadn't. She and Bellamy had the same opinion on the boy. Wells had come down to Earth and had tried to run things, and that was his first mistake. Being the chancellor's son had made him an unspoken target, but by pulling his holier-than-thou act he had sealed his fate. Melody mourned him because while she didn't like Wells she didn't _dislike_him either. The boy hadn't done anything to cross Melody and even if he had, he was still a human being. And he, like everybody else, deserved to be remembered.

And he would be remembered by her always; remembered as the boy who had saved Jasper's life with his knowledge of botany and Earth Skills.

Life went on in the aftermath of Wells' death. Even those who had felt bad about Wells' death went on with their business as usual. There was nothing they could do for the boy now. He was dead and they were still in the middle of a war with the grounders. The most anyone did was dig him a grave, as Wells' had done for several others.

Melody spent her days alternating between the upper level of the dropship and the lower level. Jasper was still on the mend, but he was quickly regaining his strength. Just a few hours after he'd woken up, Jasper was sitting up and cracking jokes as if he'd never been injured in the first place. That didn't stop Melody, Monty, and Octavia from watching after him in shifts. After the stunt with Murphy, none of them dared to leave Jasper unprotected. John Murphy didn't seem like the type to forgive and forget.

Monty was still as busy as ever as he tampered with the wristbands and attempted to bring them back to life. He'd been unsuccessful for the longest time. All of the wristbands he got his hands on had already been dead for far too long to be of any use. He'd tried to use a fresh one, Octavia's, but it had immediately lost all connection to the Ark upon removal. The boy was quickly becoming frustrated, but Melody continued to remind him that he just had to keep trying.

Hope was all they had left these days.

Currently he was sitting on the floor in the lower level, making himself busy while working on Clarke's wristband. The girl had willingly offered it up, despite her earlier ferocity whenever someone suggested removing it. Melody suspected she had ulterior motives. But who was she to suggest so?

The hatch to the upper level was open, as it often was when they were all in the dropship. The ship was primarily used as an infirmary, so they pretty much had it all to themselves unless someone was badly injured. Everyone else spent their time either hunting, building the wall that surrounded camp, or making themselves busy with simple tasks. They were beginning to fall into an easy routine as they all worked hard to cohabitate with one another. The fighting was at an all-time low and Melody was rather impressed with the bunch of delinquents who had managed to band together for the greater good.

As Melody saw it, there were two groups in the camp. There was _us_; her and her friends, and _them_: the rest of the world. They were two entities working as one in order to survive.

Bellamy's group was working hard to survive in the now, and Melody's group was working hard to survive in the long run. Which meant trying to communicate with the Ark, rationing supplies, and doing a whole bunch of other stuff that no one else seemed concerned with.

"You're frowning again."

Jasper's voice startled Melody out of her little trance. Their gazes' clashed -steely green meeting warm brown- and remained locked for a few moments. It was becoming increasingly easier for Melody to let others in, but it was still a lot of work. She'd only been willing to "open up" for a matter of days now, and she was still trying to find the balance between sharing and _over-_sharing her thoughts. It didn't help any that her first instinct was to immediately push everyone away and deal with her problems alone.

Eventually, she gave into Jasper's probing stare and voiced her troubles.

"I'm worried that we won't be able to survive the winter." Admitted Melody, surprised to feel some of the tension leave her body once her thoughts were out in the open. "We're learning to hunt and gather, but what about the snow? The freezing temperatures? Without the Ark's help, we might not make it through this."

"Hey, calm down." Jasper said softly, giving her his most hopeful smile. "Monty will get in touch with the Ark. And even if he can't, which he _can_, we'll manage. We are _Apache."_

Those three little words never failed to bring a smile to Melody's face. The symbolic meaning behind them ran deeper than anything. They had left an impact on her that would never go away. _We are Apache._It was kind of like their mantra now. A beacon of hope that reminded them all that they could get through anything Earth happened to throw at them.

"You're right." Melody agreed, her tone soft and thoughtful. "We've got each other to lean on now. That's all we need." She reached out and grabbed Jasper's hand, wrapping her slender fingers around his much larger ones.

They were survivors. Melody was sure of this, if not anything else. Ark or no, they were going to make it down here. Even if just barely.

Melody was caught somewhere between being a realist and an optimist; but at least she was no longer a pessimist. Jasper had been the one to nip that habit in the bud. He was constantly reminding Melody about the good fortune they'd had down on Earth and insisting that things would only get better. Jasper Jordan –previously known as _grounder bait_\- of all people was reassuring her that they had it good. If he could still have hope then so could Melody.

As if to prove Jasper's point about things only looking up, Monty's voice soon called out excitedly. "I did it. It's still operational!"

He'd fixed the wristbands.

Melody and Jasper exchanged wide, somewhat surprised but knowing grins. Melody had found that they didn't always need words to communicate; simple glances and soft smiles were almost always enough to convey messages. Like right now, Jasper was clearly saying _"I told you so."_ Only he said it with that mischievous glint in his eye rather than with actual words.

Mel gave his hand one final squeeze and released it before standing up. Jasper nodded his head towards the little "door" between the levels, silently letting Melody know that he would be fine for a few minutes while she went down to see what Monty had gotten himself all worked up about.

She wasted no time in hurrying down the ladder. They'd all been waiting for Monty to make a breakthrough and now that it had become a reality, it seemed that everyone was there, seeking answers. When Melody reached the lower level, Monty was still submersed in work at his little make-shift station. Clarke and Finn hovered by the door, as if they'd been preparing to leave before Monty had spoken.

Melody arrived just in time to catch the last half of Monty's sentence.

"...talking to The Ark by nightfall."

Melody let go of the ladder and dropped the last few inches that were between her and the floor. There was a hint of pride in her smile as she neared Monty, who was busily messing with…whatever that was. Some sort of control panel? Melody had never been able to speak _engineer._

"Way to go, Monty!" Congratulated Melody. She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I knew you could do it."

Her gaze shifted then towards his _work. _It all looked like a jumble of wires that he'd pulled out from behind the control panel. Monty's quick fingers seemed to fiddle with ease, connecting certain wires and detaching others so that he could connect the wristband to the dropship's mainframe and reverse the communication system.

"Do you need any help?" Melody's offer was genuine, but her voice suggested otherwise. There was no hiding her uncertainty and confusion. This was definitely not her area of expertise.

Monty snorted, giving Melody a look that clearly said _get real._ "You don't know the first thing about engineering, Mels." He pointed this out with a look on his face that had Melody laughing rather than feeling offended. "Just stand there and look pretty, okay?"

"Yes, sir." Melody mock saluted Monty as she turned away from him.

Melody's gaze found Finn first, and she decided to join him in watching the activity that was going on outside. He held the curtain-like material of the dropship 'door' high above their heads, leaving a small opening for the two of them to look through. Mel somehow leaned against both Finn _and_ the doorway as she squeezed her way in, curious as to what progress was being made beyond the dropship's doors.

What she saw really shouldn't have surprised her, but it did.

Bellamy had put everyone to work. _Everyone_. The bigger, stronger guys had been given the task of building the wall that was going to surround their camp. Some of them cut down tree limbs that could be used to their advantage. Others transported these makeshift posts across the camp so that they could be added to the ever-growing collection of posts that made up the wall. There were several 'stations' that were spread sporadically throughout camp. Some were for tying the posts together, others were for sharpening their ends into spikes. No one in camp was left without a task, aside from those who remained in the dropship.

Melody agreed with the goal that Bellamy had given them, which was to have the wall finished within the next few days. But she didn't agree with his means of achieving it. This was practically slave labor. Working for no compensation, with no breaks, and being ruled by the fear that if you failed in your tasks you would be punished. And with John Murphy patrolling and overseeing things, there definitely would be punishments.

This was proven when a boy, Melody thought she'd heard him referred to as _Connor_, halted his work and took a seat on the ground. It was a matter of seconds before Murphy saw this and pounced.

"Hey! What gives? You think the grounders are just gonna sit around and wait for us to finish this wall?" Demanded Murphy, his eyes blazing. "Maybe we should just let the little girl do the heavy lifting _for_ you."

The girl in question couldn't have been more than twelve or thirteen years old, and unlucky enough to be within earshot of the scene. And yet for some reason Murphy had her out there working, trying posts together with strips of vine. Melody didn't think it was unreasonable for people to earn their keep, to help fortify their camp, but she didn't like the fact that this little girl -or anyone for that matter- was out there working for _Murphy. _

"I just need some water, okay? Then I'll be fine." The boy, Conner, insisted. He didn't move from his position on the ground, and it occurred to Melody that maybe he hadn't _sat. _Maybe he'd collapsed.

Even though it was more than reasonable for Conner to want a water break, or _any _break considering he'd been working since sun-up, Melody knew that it would provoke an unfavorable response from Murphy.

"Murphy, get this guy some water." Bellamy had joined the two of them now, and was taking on the role of mediator. He and Murphy exchanged a glance, and then Murphy was walking off in the direction of the water basin.

That had gone better than expected.

Bellamy's attention shifted towards the little girl, who was still sitting there trying the posts together and minding her own business. "Hey, you got this?" Bellamy glanced between the girl and the log that Connor had dropped.

The question sparked feelings of outrage in Melody. She burst forward, intent on telling Bellamy Blake exactly where he could shove that log, only to be stopped by Finn's strong arm as it shot out to prevent her from moving forward. Her eyes were alit with anger as she looked up at Finn, wondering why he'd stopped her. He stared back at her, raising his eyebrows slightly. His message was clear; _wait to see how it plays out._

It proved to be a good thing that Finn had stopped Melody before she could do something rash. Had she been allowed to continue on, she surely would have marched over to Bellamy and picked a fight. The two of them may have had a moment of slight understanding in his tent, but that meant virtually nothing to Melody now. Men like Bellamy Blake, _cowards_ who ruled by scaring others, brought out a side of Melody that was absolutely rabid.

If Melody had approached Bellamy, things surely would have spiraled into insanity. That always seemed to happen when the two of them got together. But she didn't. Instead, Melody sat back and watched as Bellamy quickly hurried forward to stop the girl from picking up the discarded log. It was obvious then that he had only been joking with her from the beginning. Bellamy flashed the girl one of his very rare _genuine _smiles before lifting the log and carrying it towards the group that was busily carving the logs into spikes.

_Bless you, Finn._Melody thanked the boy silently, grateful that he hadn't allowed her to make a fool of herself in her rashness.

Melody had just begun think that maybe their little system wasn't _so_ horrible when Murphy returned. Before anyone knew what was happening, he had unzipped his pants and was drenching Connor's back with piss.

There it was, one of the _many _reasons that Melody would never agree with the way Bellamy and Murphy ran things. It was do or die. They wanted followers that would simply sit down, shut up, and do whatever they demanded. It was like they didn't even want them to be _people_. Just soldiers. Willing to take orders and do manual labor.

"You wanted a water break." Murphy smirked over at Connor, who was struggling against the many hands that restrained him. Having proven his point and exerted his superiority over them all, Murphy turned his attention back towards the crowd with a sharp, "Get back to work!"

Murphy was one of the most foul, loathsome creatures to ever roam the planet and Melody was proud when she noticed the slight limp in his gait. Her fingers gently caressed the handle of her knife, which hung from a notch in the belt she wore.

Let Murphy try something like that with her.

"Hey, Mel?" Octavia's voice floated down from the upper level.

Melody had almost forgotten that she'd left Octavia with Jasper. At the time, the girl had been resting rather than keeping watch over their wounded friend. Not that he really _needed _to be watched anymore, but that didn't stop any of them from keeping up with their shifts.

"Everything okay?" Wondered Melody as she watched Octavia descend down the ladder.

Melody was surprised to see another set of boots on the metal rungs of the ladder, just above Octavia's head. She watched almost anxiously as Jasper slowly made his way down to the lower level. It was the first time he had been ventured off of the upper level since he'd been awake, which was going on a week now. They'd all been worried that he was going to overexert himself too soon into his recovery. No one wanted to risk the chance of him worsening his condition when they'd just barely gotten him stable.

"We're going to go outside. Get some fresh air." Explained Octavia as she reached out and helped Jasper down the last few steps. Once they were both firmly on the ground, Octavia's gaze flickered towards Melody. "Is that cool?"

"Of course. Why would you…?" Melody trailed off, shooting Octavia a quizzical look.

It took a few moments for Melody to realize what Octavia was doing. She was asking for permission. Maybe Melody was a little protective over Jasper, but she was definitely _not_ his keeper. She'd made it clear that she trusted Octavia and Monty with Jasper's well-being, but it was no long hers to entrust to anyone. Jasper was alive and well which meant that it was his turn to make the decisions for himself. Melody no longer had the right.

"Clarke said he should be okay to move around a bit." Melody shrugged. "It's his decision."

Octavia's eyes lit up and she smiled up at Jasper. Although he returned the smile, Melody could see his reluctance. Octavia may not have picked up on it, but it was hard for Melody to miss. She figured Jasper might be a little scared about going outside again. The last time he had done so, he had almost been killed. But Jasper couldn't live his life in fear. That wasn't really _living. _Melody knew that better than anyone.

That's why she urged him outside.

"Go on, Goggle Boy." Mel said teasingly, using the pet name with great affection. "We're right here if you need us."

Jasper seemed to appreciate that. At the very least, it gave him whatever courage he needed to venture outside. He looked over at Melody and offered her a faint smile before allowing Octavia to drag him outside. Although he was still a tiny bit reluctant, Jasper definitely didn't seem to mind the fact that Octavia was currently holding his hand. That alone would have been enough to make him brave a whole army of grounders.

Melody smiled to herself as the two of them walked away.

Octavia was good for Jasper, even if Melody hadn't realized it before. Even if she was still having a hard time accepting it. She had always blamed Octavia for Jasper getting hurt. After all, he had jumped in the lake to save _her_. Swung across the creek first to impress _her_. It had taken Melody a long while to realize that she had been looking at it all wrong. In a weird way, Octavia brought out a better side of Jasper. She helped to make him brave and confident and strong in a world where he was constantly one of the weakest links. They _all _were.

Octavia was not a curse, but a blessing.

Melody watched the two of them walk off hand in hand, until they disappeared. Then she turned her attention back towards Monty, who was still fast at work on the wristbands. He was always so quiet when he worked that she almost forget he was there.

"How's it coming, Monty?"

"It's coming, Mel." Monty smiled, but his voice was strained. "Slowly."

Melody admired Monty and his willingness to persist. He wasn't the kind of guy who gave up very easily. Each failure brought him closer to success, and Monty realized this. He didn't _like_ it, but he accepted it. He never really let anyone see him lose hope. Sometimes he was careless and honest around Melody, but only because she was always the first one to remind him that he could do it.

"Come on, Slick. You can't give up on us now." Melody chided gently, pleased when a grin spread across Monty's face. He liked when she called him Slick or Brainiac or something else of that degree. The way he beamed when she did this caused Melody to feel warm and gooey inside. She liked being the reason behind someone's smile. Especially someone as sweet and selfless as Monty.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're pretty amazing, Mels?" Asked Monty, trying his own hand at flattery. He wasn't just saying the words to say them; he meant them whole-heartedly.

"Well, you have." Melody pretended to look thoughtful. "So that makes…one." She grinned at him as she moved forward to lean against the little makeshift workbench that he had created.

Monty smiled and shook his head at her. It still amazed him how much Melody had changed over the last week or so. It was like something inside of her had snapped and she'd suddenly realized that they were all on the same side. Since then she had been smiling and laughing more than usual. They'd all discovered that Melody was a nice girl underneath her tough exterior. She was always the first one to offer encouraging words when they were needed and she was fiercely protective over the few people she cared for. Even _Octavia._That alone said something about how much Mel had changed in the last few days.

"Do you think we'll really be able to talk to them?" Asked Melody in an almost hesitant voice.

The best thing about Melody and Monty's relationship was that they didn't sugarcoat things. They were both usually pretty honest and open about their thoughts and ideas. Melody felt that she could trust Monty not to judge or laugh at her when she tried to be serious and thoughtful. And in return, Monty knew that he could trust Melody with anything he said because she wasn't like the others; she was the kind of girl you could actually trust.

"I hope so. I think if I wire it right we'll be able to see them, too." Monty's voice grew steadily more excited with every word. It was obvious that he was pleased about Melody's interest in his work.

"Really? How?" She wondered, looking at the wristband that he was wrapping in wire. There was no screen of any sort on it, so Melody knew that he must have another idea.

Monty pointed across the room to where a small television-like device hung on the wall. It was what they'd watched the Chancellor's message on when they had been about to leave the Ark. Melody had full faith in Monty. If he could reverse the wristband, he could reverse the television.

"Oh Monty, you're a genius!" Melody exclaimed, becoming more excited with each passing moment. Now that she could actually _see _his ideas being put into motion, it was much easier to believe that all of this was possible.

The chances of her being able to talk with anyone on the Ark was slim. She figured that it would be up to Clarke to communicate with them. Bellamy had no interest in talking to the Ark, so she doubted their fearless _leader_ would be up for the task. Clarke, however, was rather important as well, being the only doctor on Earth. Not to mention she was the only one who took charge aside from Bellamy. She would be their spokesperson when Monty finally managed to make contact. And then, things would be put into motion.

"I like to think so." Monty grinned. "I just don't know how we're going to talk to them. I can probably use Morris code with the wristband. I can turn it on and off to represent different letters. But that'll only work if they're watching closely. And they won't be able to _hear_ us."

Yet another flaw in the master plan. On the bright side, at least they had a way of telling the Ark that they were still alive. If the wristbands suddenly turned back on, they would surely realize that someone had _turned_ them on. That alone was a good first step.

"I'm sure it'll all work out for the best, Monty." Melody insisted wasn't going to allow him to become discouraged. Not when they were so close to making contact with the Ark. "Now get back to work, Slick. Talking to the Ark by nightfall, remember?"

"Yeah, yeah." Monty rolled his eyes and waved her away with a flick of his wrist. "Hey, would you mind refilling the canteen before you go? We're running low on water."

"Sure." Melody was eager to help. Now that Jasper had regained his independence, she was beginning to feel a bit useless. "Unless Bellamy puts me to work first."

They exchanged a serious glance for a moment and then burst into laughter at the idea of Bellamy putting her to work. Not only was Melody too small to do most of the hands-on activities, but she had no desire in helping Bellamy with _anything_. He was well aware of that little fact, which was why he hadn't bothered recruiting her. And as long as she was in the dropship she was staying out of trouble, which meant he didn't have to worry about running behind her and doing damage control.

Plus, Melody had a feeling that Bellamy already knew her group would put up some sort of resistance if he tried to treat them as he treated the others. And if Bellamy hated anything, it was being publicly defied.

Melody exited the dropship, heading for the basin that was storing all of the drinking water. A group of gatherers had found a little stream close to camp, and they'd been transporting water back and forth several times a day. It went pretty quickly, what with almost one hundred people slaving away in the hot sun. Melody slowly re-filled their bottle up despite the dirty looks she got from one of the girls that was busily replenishing the supply.

"Nice day, isn't it?" Chirped Melody, her smile sweet as sugar.

She had just barely re-attached the bottle to one of the makeshift clips on her belt when she heard something that made her pause. It had almost sounded like…_screaming_? Melody cocked her head to the side and listened, brows furrowing slightly. The sound was distant, coming from somewhere beyond the wall. She couldn't tell whether or not it was the good kind of screaming, or the bad kind. There was always a fifty-fifty chance. Sometimes the delinquents hollered and whooped simply to hear the sounds of their own voices.

The next shout was louder, sharper, and it didn't take long for Melody to recognize the voice.

It was Jasper.

And he was shouting for Octavia.

It didn't take Melody very long to piece together what had happened. Octavia hadn't just taken Jasper out for some fresh air. She'd taken him out _beyond the wall. _Back into enemy territory, even if just slightly. No doubt she'd been trying to help, but so soon after his attack? Melody never would have agreed to _that. _Jasper wasn't ready.

Panic rushed through Melody at the thought of what might be happening outside of the wall. That fear fueled her body and threw her into motion. She was running as fast as she could towards the entrance to camp, wondering _how on Earth_ Octavia had managed to sneak past Bellamy's watchful eye. No one was allowed outside unless they were getting supplies; _no one._ And this was the reason why.

If anything had happened to either one of them…Melody didn't even want to think about it. The thought made her chest constrict with panic, that familiar breathless feeling taking over. It was better to focus on finding the two of them rather than _how _she might find them.

Melody managed to worm her way through a tight gap in the wall. She slipped out undetected, and jogged a few feet before she paused and looked around. Her gaze whipped around the forest several times before she saw an object moving near the tree line. She recognized that jacket; it was the one Jasper had been wearing earlier.

"Jasper?" Melody wasn't sure whether she should be relieved or scared at the moment.

Jasper continued deeper into the forest until he reached a large boulder that was several hundred feet away, just at the edge of the trees. As soon as Jasper came to a stop, two people burst out from behind the oversized rock. The first was a dark-skinned guy that Melody didn't recognize. He jumped out from behind the rock _screaming_, which caused Jasper to jerk backwards and trip over his own two feet.

The other person that emerged from behind the rock was Octavia. She stumbled, led by the male that had a grip on her arm. As Octavia began to struggle, he released her with a loud laugh and was immediately met by her small hand shoving against his chest.

"Hey, jerk! Get the hell out of here." Octavia commanded, glaring at the guy before turning her worried -and slightly regretful- gaze towards Jasper. "You okay, Jas?"

Nothing could have prepared the boy for Melody's fury.

Before anyone had even noticed her presence among them, Melody's first was connecting with the boy's jaw. There was a sharp _snap_, accompanied by shooting pains that shot from her wrist to her shoulder, which momentarily paused her. She had thrown her whole body into the punch, knowing that it would do more damage. What she hadn't anticipated was that it would do damage to _both_of them. A dull throbbing sensation quickly began to settle throughout her entire left arm. But the pain was _nothing _compared to the embarrassment that she had seen on Jasper's face. And she was going to make this boy pay for pulling such an asinine stunt.

"What the hell?" The guy held one hand to his jaw, staring at Melody with wide eyes.

"You think you're funny?" Melody shook her hand out as she'd seen people do in the movies, expecting it to relieve some of the pain. It didn't. "Well news flash; you're just an asshole!"

Melody noted, with satisfaction, that she had managed to split his lip. A little bit of blood trickled from the small cut and dripped down his lips. But somehow, that wasn't enough for her. She was sick and tired of people thinking that everything down here was a _game._ They couldn't just get away with stuff like this. She wouldn't let them.

When she lunged again, he was expecting it. The boy blocked his face with his arms, making it impossible for Melody to make contact with his jaw again. Unhindered by this, she aimed everywhere else. His chest, his gut, his ribs; every part of his exposed body was met over and over again by her hard little fists. Melody wasn't very strong, but judging by his grunts she at least had good aim. It probably wouldn't be enough to do any real damage, but he would remember her whenever he felt his sore muscles the next morning.

All she could think about was teaching the little punk a lesson. You did _not _mess with her friends and get away with it. You didn't play on their fears and their weaknesses and then just laugh it off, as if it were all some big joke. Maybe she didn't look like much and maybe the scales were tipped against her. But Melody was nothing if not determined. She was a scrapper, and that had never been more evident.

"Melody, stop! You're going to get yourself into trouble." That was Jasper's voice, begging her to relent before she was punished.

As if she was afraid of what Bellamy Blake had in store for her.

And then there was Octavia, who was doing the opposite of what Jasper was doing. She was egging Melody on. "Hell yeah, Mels! Aim for the throat!"

Melody couldn't focus on responding to either one of them, but she _did_ take Octavia's words into account. Sadly, the boy's jugular was just out of reach. Melody settled for hitting any and everything else that she could get her hands on as the boy retreated, trying to get away from her. Melody still didn't let up. It was as if something had taken root in the pit of her stomach, some deep dark entity that screamed for her to _make him pay. _

She would have continued in her relentless attack, but Melody was lifted off the ground and pulled away from the boy before she even realized it was happening. She didn't know _who _was pulling her away, but it was a good thing they'd intervened. Melody was doing just as much damage to herself as she was to him. And she didn't know when, or even _if_, she would stop on her own. The thought should have scared her, especially given her history, but it barely even phased Melody in the heat of the moment.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" She couldn't touch him anymore, but she _could _scream at him as she struggled in the arms of her captor. "You filthy, despicable, thoughtless _bully_!"

The arms around her tightened, not exactly painfully but rather in a warning sort of way. The one holding onto her had stopped retreating after they'd put enough space in between Melody and her victim. It was then that Melody looked down, taking note of the thick, tanned arms that had locked themselves around her waist. His grip was tight and controlling and Melody immediately knew who had pulled her off of the boy.

_Bellamy Blake._

Her opponent was slowly getting back to his feet. His dark eyes snapped with barely contained rage as he spit a mouthful of blood onto the ground. "You crazy bitch! I'll wreck you."

This only infuriated Melody more. She struggled in Bellamy's arms, desperate to go another round or two or _seven _with the boy standing across from her. He was so angry that he was practically shaking as he glared at her. Melody was not afraid; she returned his stare with one of her own, but she too was trembling with barely-contained fury.

"You're awful brave now, aren't you?" Melody was disgusted by the show that he put on _now. _Now that she had beaten him bloody, now that she was being restrained. It was, no doubt, an act for the audience that was most likely already forming behind her.

"Melody, shut the hell _up_." Bellamy's sharp hiss was accompanied by a light squeeze around the waist.

Melody was still seething with rage, but she forced herself to relax slightly against Bellamy. She was painfully aware of his hot breath in her ear and the press of his muscular chest against her back. She would have sworn she could feel his heart beat, but she didn't know if that was even possible. The proximity between the two of them was ridiculous, but perhaps that was a good thing.

Only Bellamy could hold her back at a time like this.

Finn had pushed his way to the front of the group. He placed a gentle hand on Melody's arm and gave her a look that could only be described as concerned. "Are you okay, Mel?"

Was she okay? Was she _okay_? Nothing about this was okay. It wasn't okay that this kid had preyed on Jasper. It wasn't okay that she was turning into the kind of person that beat the shit out of someone to get her point across. It wasn't okay that she didn't even regret it for a moment. It wasn't okay that she had been forced to stop until the kid was writhing on the ground in pain and _begging _her to have mercy. And it definitely was not okay that she was being both calmed and contained by Bellamy Blake.

Melody nodded.

"Let her go." Finn gave Bellamy a sharp look.

"Piss off, Spacewalker." Bellamy snapped out. Melody could almost picture the angry look on his face, the way his jaw would clench and his brow would furrow. "The moment I let her go, she'll be out for blood."

Bellamy did have a point. Pretty much everyone she'd associated with was aware of the fact that Melody Pond was not a very forgiving person. She was _trying_ to be, but she just wasn't. It wasn't in her nature to forgive and forget. When someone wronged her, Melody took it very personally. And, as she had learned as of late, she was completely capable of defending herself and those she cared for. It didn't help her whole temperament issue any that her limits were constantly being tested by guys like this who were, in her opinion, the literal scum of the Earth.

"Are you alright, man?" Finn held out a hand towards the other guy, in the universal sign for 'I come in peace' or whatever. As if he _deserved _peace.

"What does it look like?" Spat the male, turning his glare upon Finn. "That dumb bitch attacked me out of nowhere."

It was a lie. Well, at least a _partial_ lie. Maybe she had attacked him out of nowhere, but she had been completely justified in doing so. It wasn't as if he were just some innocent bystander that had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. He'd played a very active role in this whole thing. He'd even made the first move. Melody had just simply finished the fight.

Her moral code was as follows:

_Defend yourself. Defend those you love. Don't kill unless absolutely necessary. Make good choices._

It didn't really get much simpler than that.

Melody was a good person, she really was. She was just a good person with a bad temper. Certain things set her off and once the fire was lit, it was insatiable. She couldn't stop it, and she didn't _want to._ She had a temperament that matched her flaming red hair _perfectly_. It hadn't always been that way, it was a trait that she'd developed only over the last few years and _especially _over the last week or so. The more she learned about herself, the more she realized that she wasn't who she'd always pretended to be. She wasn't weak and docile and timid and fragile. She was lionhearted. She felt things, and she felt them passionately, and she felt them without regret or apology.

She _liked _the person she was becoming, even if a part of her knew that she shouldn't.

"Is that true, Melody?" Bellamy sounded less than convinced by the other male's explanation. Just as he had done when confronted by Murphy, he was giving Melody the benefit of the doubt. Again.

That's when an idea formed.

"Like hell it is!" Melody leveled her gaze. "You think you can just manhandle people and get away with it? Pretend to be a grounder just for shits and giggles, as if they aren't an incredibly _real_ threat to us? You're lucky it wasn't me you grabbed because in case you haven't noticed, _I'm not as nice as Octavia!_"

That last sentence made the gears in Bellamy's head come to life. It didn't take him very long to realize just what Melody was implying. The moment he realized that this guy had been rough with his precious baby sister, _Bellamy_ was the one that needed to be held back.

"You _what_?" He roared, lunging for the male.

Melody immediately realized she had made a mistake. She had mentioned that bit about Octavia in hopes that Bellamy would get angry, that he would release her and take matters into his own hands. What she _hadn't_ anticipated was the fact that he was able to easily throw Finn to the side when the spacewalker attempted to grab for him. She hadn't anticipated that he would be unstoppable. She hadn't taken into consideration what Bellamy Blake might do when pushed just a bit too far.

Bellamy was positively murderous.

The sound his fist connecting sharply with the male's face caused Melody to cringe. She briefly thought, _hey, why didn't mine sound like that?,_but she pushed the thought away. Hers hadn't sounded like that because she hadn't known what she was doing. She hadn't posed any real threat to the guy. She hadn't had any intentions of sending him six feet under by the time their fight was over.

Bellamy was straddling the boy, using both fists to rain blow after blow upon his face. The sounds were sickening. They were loud and sharp and wet and very, very _crunchy. _Melody almost felt bad for the guy. Maybe he'd just been trying to have a laugh, but it shouldn't have been at Jasper's expense. And now he realized that.

The boy's low, pitiful groans let Melody know that he'd had enough although Bellamy had only hit him a couple of times. It was one thing to be in the midst of things, throwing punches…but to be on the outside looking in, it almost turned her stomach. There was a point when enough was enough, and she realized that now. This was _her _fault. She'd gotten the kid into this mess, and now it was up to her to get him out of it before Bellamy wound up doing something that he couldn't take back.

Before she could think better of it, Melody threw herself head-first into the mix. The moment her fingers reached out and wrapped themselves around his bicep, Bellamy lashed out at her.

His fist made contact with Melody's cheek, causing the girl to fall backwards into the dirt. A sharp cry left her lips as pain erupted in the spot that Bellamy had struck. It was positively blinding, unlike anything she'd ever felt before. Melody cupped her cheek gently as her vision was dotted with black and white spots. The light touch caused the area to throb in protest and caused Melody to whimper softly. She lay on her back in the dirt, struggling to catch her breath and trying not to writhe as the pain all but consumed her.

Maybe she was more fragile than she'd originally thought.

"Melody?" The urgent voice at her ear was the last one that Melody wanted to hear. "Are you with me, sweetheart?"

Eyes closed, she uttered a soft groan and tried to turn away from Bellamy. The movement jostled her aching arm which only added to the pain. Melody couldn't stop herself from crying out, the sound little more than a choked sob as she fought back tears. She could already feel one side of her face swelling up, the skin there both tight and tender. This was the first _real_ fight she'd ever gotten into, and therefore it was the first time that anyone had ever lashed out at her in such a way.

_Did he really just punch me?_

The answer was yes, yes he had.

Melody felt herself being lifted then, and she couldn't even bring herself to offer up any protest aside from a low moan. The person that held her now was not the one that had held her before. Melody didn't know how she knew for certain, but she did. The touch was all wrong. These arms were smaller, gentler, and they wrapped themselves around her body as if they'd done so a hundred times before.

It was Finn.

He walked them back towards the dropship slowly, taking great care not to cause Melody any more pain than necessary. Everything about his stance screamed 'don't screw with me.' A couple of people asked if they needed help, but Finn angrily shot down each offer as he made his way through the quickly parting crowd. He didn't need help. Even if he did, he wouldn't have trusted anyone else to get the job done.

Melody's eyes slowly blinked open. Her lids were heavy, as if she were in desperate need of sleep, but she didn't allow them to fall shut once more. She was watching Jasper and Octavia, who were walking just a few paces behind them. They were her focus point for a few moments before one of them tripped and they both went spiraling out of view. Melody reached for them, but she couldn't do much more. She couldn't even turn her head to see where they'd landed, or whether or not they were okay.

They made it into the dropship in record time.

"What the hell happened?" Clarke's voice suddenly filled the air, much too loud for Melody's liking. She groaned in protest and attempted to cover her ears, but the pain became too much and so she simply gave up.

"Bellamy punched her."

"What!?" That voiced belonged to Monty. He was quickly approaching as Finn set Melody down gently in a hammock that had been set up on the lower level. It rocked for a few moments and it was all Melody could focus on, even as Monty continued speaking. "Where the hell is he?"

Bellamy chose that moment to make his entrance.

"Right here." And there he _was _right there, leaning over Melody, his face just a few inches from her own. He watched her with anxious eyes. "Damn it, I didn't mean to punch you, sweetheart. I thought you were the spacewalker."

For once, Melody didn't complain about the nickname he continued to use despite her protests. The only reason she let it slide was because there had been, for once, no malice in Bellamy's voice. He only sounded anxious and perhaps just a bit distraught? Melody found it hard to believe that Bellamy Blake would be distraught over _her. __It must be the guilt. _

"What. Happened?" Clarke's moved forward angrily and bent down beside Melody. Apparently Finn's answer had not been satisfactory, because she addressed Melody now.

"I tried to-" Melody tried to explain, but the pain was too much. The spots were back, taking over her vision once more. Melody's eyes fluttered closed and she laid her head back on the hammock. She was trying pretty damn hard to stay quiet, but she couldn't help the occasional gasp that slipped off of her lips without permission.

Damn it! She hated that they had to see her like this.

"She tried to break up a fight between Bellamy and some kid. When she got into the middle of things, he punched her." Finn's voice was laced with accusation. Melody didn't have to open her eyes to know that he was glaring at the man who was still currently crouched by her bedside.

"I thought she was _you_." Bellamy's voice was little more than a growl as he stood to his feet in order to face Finn. "How was I supposed to know that she was going to try and be the hero? It was _her_ fight in the first place. I figured she would let me handle it."

"Well you figured wrong!" Finn bellowed, unable to stop himself.

This protective side of him was usually reserved for Clarke, but somehow Melody had managed to worm her way into his heart without him having realized it. He felt fiercely protective as he looked down at the small, frail girl who suddenly seemed so weak and vulnerable. And in that moment he wanted to taste Bellamy Blake's blood.

No one messed with _his_ girls.

With that thought in mind, Finn began to move towards Bellamy. He only made it a few steps before Monty intercepted him.

"Both of you need to cool down." Monty advised, looking between the two of them seriously. Monty had on his I-mean-business voice. It was a tone that he seldom used, but when he did they all stopped to listen. "Fighting isn't going to change anything. And you'll only upset Melody even more."

That seemed to reach them.

Finn stomped off towards the ladder to the upper level while Bellamy turned and walked right out of the dropship. It was only the three of them left then. Clarke was looking over Melody anxiously and Monty was standing nearby, ready to intervene if Finn and Bellamy came back in and did anything to disturb Melody.

Clarke's fingers were gentle on Melody's face, but no matter how careful she tried to be, she still managed to make Melody's face throb with pain. The area was quickly turning a sickly combination of yellow and purple. Clarke gently probed Melody's bruising skin and was glad to find that her cheekbone hadn't been shattered in the brawl. It was just going to bruise up and hurt like a bitch for a couple of days. Melody was fragile. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was delicate and petite. It wasn't her fault, it was all in her body structure. A girl like her couldn't take a punch like that and _not _be affected. Recovery would be rough.

"Mel, I'm sorry, but there is nothing I can do for you." Clarke said softly, looking into Melody's eyes and speaking slowly. The poor girl looked like she was on the verge of passing out. Her pain tolerance wasn't prepared for this.

"_Fuck_." The harsh expletive left Melody's mouth before she could even think to stop it. When she realized what she had said, Mel grimaced up at Monty and apologized. "Sorry 'bout your virgin ears, slick." They all laughed at this, but Melody's laughter died off in a series of soft whimpers.

It was obvious that Melody was about to succumb to the sleep that threatened to take over. Clarke didn't think she had a concussion or anything, seeing as how the blow wasn't to her head. She checked and double checked the other girl's vitals to the best of her abilities and didn't see any reason for worry. Melody was probably just drowsy from the amount of pain that she was in. Bellamy had struck her _hard_. Clarke felt bad for Melody, who was the least deserving out of all of them, but maybe this would teach her not to be so rash.

"I'm tired, Clarke." Mel mumbled softly, blinking up at the blonde angel who loomed over her bedside.

Her mind was going fuzzy and she could have sworn that there was a halo above that head of pretty, blonde curls. And Clarke seemed to be emitting a kind of glowing light. It was real pretty...dazzling, even. Melody _swore_this girl was an angel. She had to be, with that pretty face and that pretty halo and her pretty knack for helping people who needed it.

"Your halo is lovely. Where did you get it?"

"Shhh, Melody." Clarke bit her lip to hide her smile. "You can rest now. And when you wake up I'll tell you all about this halo of mine."

_Not that you'll remember,_ she added silently in her mind.

"Mmkay." Mumbled Melody, finally allowing the full extent of the drowsiness to consume her. Who was she to disobey an angel?

Melody curled up on her side, ignoring the throbbing of her bad arm. It only made the sleep come faster, anyways. The pain helped with the sleep, and the sleep helped with the pain. It was a win-win situation.

She was just about unconscious when something stirred her from the impending wave of sleepiness.

A deep voice caused Melody's green eyes to flutter open once more as she looked across the dropship. She could have _sworn_ she saw a certain dark-haired prince there, trying to make his way to her. Yes, he was equipped with a sword and a shield. His dark brown eyes bore into hers, reflecting what looked like sadness. But sadness for what? The fuzziness that was suddenly taking root in her mind? No, he couldn't know about that. It must have been sadness from something else. Or maybe it wasn't even sadness at all. Maybe it was something else and she had been mistaken. Was he coming to wake her from the eternal sleep that she could feel setting in? Maybe.

But hell, what did she know?

The angel was there, pushing Melody's prince out of the room. Melody wanted to tell her to stop, that he was here to save her, but the words wouldn't form.

"You need to leave, Bellamy." The angel said angrily, blocking him from Mel's view.

_No! No, don't make him leave._

It was the prince's voice that she heard then, quiet and gentle. "When she wakes up, tell her I'm sorry."

_Sorry? Sorry for what? _

Melody was still trying to find the answer to that question when sleep took over, washing all memories of the angel and prince from her mind.


	9. Chapter 9

**Nine**

Melody awoke a few hours later and immediately wished that she hadn't.

The pain had lessened a bit, but not enough to relieve any discomfort. What had once been a painful throbbing was replaced with a dull, aching sensation that faintly reminded Melody of a fatigued muscle feeling. She'd never actually been in a fight before, and so all of this pain felt more like uncharted territory than anything. But beyond the pain that she felt, Melody also felt a strong sense of pride. It was as if she had made some monumental breakthrough and discovered a new side of herself that she hadn't even known to exist. A totally _badass _side of herself that had been hidden underneath all of those layers of fragility and indecision. For the first time Melody felt not like a reckless kid with a big heart and a flaring temper, but rather an empowered woman who was able to take matters into her own hands and decide her own fate.

She'd been working up to this, bit by bit, ever since she'd stepped foot on Earth. Melody hadn't been oblivious to the changes in herself, but they'd come on too suddenly for her to give them much thought. She'd always been driven by the need to do what was right, but since coming down to Earth that feeling was even stronger. And once the people she cared about were thrown into the mix, there was nothing that could stand in her way. Maybe she was reckless sometimes, but Melody was suddenly able to accept the fact that she was. It was _her_; all of it was _her. _The recklessness, the attitude, the drive to help others, the fiery temper, the big heart. All of it together was what made Melody herself.

And she would not apologize for that.

She hadn't come down to Earth knowing who she was or what her role in this world might be. She'd had to find herself. But now, now she knew. Or at least she was staring to know. She was _strong. _She was _passionate._ She was _capable. _And she wasn't down here to be another pawn in Bellamy Blake's game, or Clarke Griffin's game, or anyone else's. She was down here to play her _own _game, and it was the game of survival.

And she wasn't playing just for herself, but rather for all of the others who might be too weak or too scared or just downright incapable of defending themselves. 

"Mmm." Melody stirred, letting out a sleepy groan.

The finer details of this morning were slightly fuzzy. Inwardly, Melody felt pride and strength and great satisfaction. Outwardly, she felt sore and achy and completely miserable. It took her several minutes to remember _why _she felt like this.

She'd gotten into a fight. That guy had been picking on Jasper, tormenting him even, and Melody had stepped in. That explained the pain that dominated her left side. If she looked down, surely she would find her knuckles bloodied and bruised. They ached, but it was a good sort of ache. It was proof of what she'd done. It was like a badge that she would wear with honor. It was a reminder that despite what some people might think, Melody Pond was _not _a force to be reckoned with.

But the pain in her face?

There was no way that guy could have gotten a shot in, not when Melody had been throwing herself at him like a whirlwind of pent-up fury. She'd fought, she'd had the upper hand. After a while, there had been some intervention. Finn was there. He'd pulled her away from the boy before she could do any real damage….wait, no. That wasn't Finn. Finn had been there, but it was _Bellamy_ who had pulled her away from the boy. Bellamy was the one interested in getting her out of the line of fire. Finn had been the one interested in making sure that everyone was alright.

Yes, it was definitely Bellamy that had grabbed her. Melody remembered all too well the feeling of his muscles straining against his teeshirt as he'd fought to hold onto her. She hadn't made it easy, what with all her struggling, but in the end Bellamy had won that battle. His angry words rang in her ears.

_The moment I let her go, she'll be out for blood._

He was right.

Melody remembered the anger and helplessness that she'd felt because she knew that the boy hadn't paid _nearly_ enough for what he had done to Jasper. For what he'd put him through. She'd wanted his blood, and so she'd done something entirely stupid in her rage. She informed Bellamy that the boy had been rough with Octavia. Bellamy had gone rabid, and Melody had tried to stop him, had tried to fix the trouble she'd caused…

And then what?

She couldn't remember anything beyond the pain. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt. Staggering enough to knock her off of her feet and intense enough to keep her on the ground. Finn was the one to carry her crumpled body back to the dropship, because Melody had been in no condition to walk. They'd gone into the dropship and she was put in the good doctor's capable hands. Clarke demanded to know what had happened and…

"_Holy shit__._" Breathed Melody, sitting straight up in the hammock.

_He punched her._

Just sitting up had Melody gritting her teeth -causing even more pain- and trying not to cry out. Her arm throbbed fiercely in protest, prompting Melody to cradle it against her chest. Once she was up, however, the pain in her arm began to ebb once more to a bearable level.

It took her a few minutes to realize that she wasn't alone in the dropship. Mel's green eyes thoroughly scanned the lower level, falling upon Monty. He was busily working on connecting the wristband's communication system to the dropship. He was the only one there, though. The rest of her friends had gone off to only God knew where, leaving her to rest and Monty to work. But Melody didn't want to rest.

With a groan and a lot of wobbling, Melody managed to climb -more accurately, slide- to her feet. Even the slight jostling movement hurt her arm, causing the pain to flare back up in a ferocious wave that left no part of her left side unscathed. Looking down, Melody saw that her knuckles had already turned a sickly shade of purple and yellow, no doubt matching the bruise across her cheekbone.

What she wouldn't give for some painkillers…

"Whoa, Mels." Monty was somehow already at her side. He gripped Melody's good arm, helping to steady her. "Easy."

"I'm fine, Monty." Insisted Melody, who was glad to find that speaking didn't hurt her face quite so much anymore. It still made it ache, but each time was easier. As if she were becoming numb to that specific pain. It was tolerable.

"You're not fine, Melody." Monty frowned. "You got punched in the face and you almost broke your hand."

"Yeah, well, I'll live." Melody brushed off his touch and moved towards the dropship door.

"Clarke said you should be resting." Monty called after her, but he was smart enough not to try and stop her from leaving. He saw what she'd done to the last guy that pissed her off. "She's not going to be happy when she sees you're up. Neither is Finn…or Bellamy."

His words brought back a new memory. She recalled Finn and Bellamy's angry voices shouting at one another. They had been fighting because of her. Finn had been _so_ angry. It had actually surprised Melody a bit when he had so casually slipped into the role of her protector. And then there was Bellamy, who had insisted over and over that it was an accident. He had sounded sincere enough.

_Damn it, I didn't mean to punch you, sweetheart. I thought you were spacewalker._

"Monty, I _am_fine. Really." Melody flashed a wide smile and twirled in a little circle to prove that she was okay. Thankfully the small motion did nothing to bump her arm, so she was able to pull off the almost convincing grin that she forced onto her face.

"Melody it's only been a couple of hours…You should rest." Pressed Monty, but his voice was slowly losing its force.

"Come on, slick. We both know that I'm no good at following directions." Teased Melody softly as she turned back around to place a gentle hand on Monty's shoulder. "I can't just sit around all day, Monty. Nothing is broken and I feel..."

"Don't say _fine._" Monty warned.

"I do feel fine though." She insisted. "I know what I can and can't handle, Monty. But if it makes you feel better I'll go check with Clarke before I find that kid and convince him to go another round."

Her words succeeded in putting a smile on Monty's face. "That was a pretty kickass thing to do, Mel." He admitted, looking down at her with something akin to admiration in his eyes. "You're a tough one."

"Guns of steel, baby." Melody raised her good arm and flexed a pitiful bicep.

Monty laughed and shook his head before going back towards his control panel. Melody took that to mean that he wasn't going to fight her on this. It wouldn't have made much of a different if he had, anyways. Melody made up her own mind. And right now, she was determined to get out of the dropship and continue on with life as usual.

Melody walked through the camp slowly, glad to see that everyone had gone back to doing their daily tasks. The wall was still being built rapidly as she had expected. Murphy was still barking orders and people were still cowering beneath him. Melody didn't have the energy to say or do anything about it, not in her current condition. As much as she hated the injustice, going round for round with Murphy would not end in her favor right now.

The first person that Melody encountered was Finn. He had decided to help with gathering and boiling the water that they brought in from the stream. It wasn't surprising considering the fact that Melody knew he liked to venture outside of camp more often than not. In fact, he had been the one to discover the little waterfall where they got their water supply. And he was the one constantly having to lead people to it anyways.

"Hey, Finn." Melody greeted, waggling her fingers in a little wave as she approached him.

The boy's head snapped up at the sound of her voice and his gaze darkened. Melody immediately knew that he was going to protest about the fact that she was already up and out of bed. If this was what it felt like to have people caring for you, it was very restricting. But at the same time, the thought of them worrying for her warmed Melody's heart a bit. It was nice to know that they cared.

"Melody you're on bed rest." Finn scolded her as he dumped another bucket of boiled water into the basin. The supplies were some of the few they'd had on the dropship. Melody suspected that the ship had been used as a storage space or something before they'd fixed it up, because they'd found several plastic buckets and what looked like plastic wash-tubs hidden under some of the seats.

"Finn, I've already been through the whole spiel." Melody informed him, holding up one hand to stop him from protesting further. "I'm fine. I just need to see Clarke."

The look in Finn's eyes told Melody that he wanted to argue with her until she went back to bed. But they both knew that arguing would only make things worse. Besides, nothing he said would make her get back in that bed and stare at the ceiling all day. Maybe she was still a little pained - a lot pained- but she couldn't just do _nothing. _

"Fine." Finn swept his arm out towards a multi-colored tent that sat just a few feet away from where they stood. "They're in that tent."

"They?"

"Clarke, Jasper, Octavia…maybe Bellamy." Finn shrugged his shoulders. "Jasper and Octavia looked pretty freaked out when they got back to camp."

That piqued Melody's interest. She had always been a curious little thing. She hated being left out of the loop. And now, she wondered what Octavia and Jasper had seen that left such an impression.

"Alright. I guess I'll go get some clearance from Clarke before I do anything else." Melody said softly, taking a few steps away from Finn.

"Call if you need anything." The offer was genuine and it brought a soft smile to Melody's face.

"Of course, _dad_." Mel said mockingly, earning herself a grin from Finn.

She had a way of making people forget their troubles. It was a gift, really. Melody may not have realized the effect she could have, but everyone else did.

Mel started off in the direction of the tent, a frown falling upon her face as soon as she had turned away from Finn's watchful gaze. His words echoed in her mind. _Jasper and Octavia looked pretty freaked out when they got back to camp_.

It was like Melody to want to be in the middle of the action. Wasn't that what had gotten her into this mess in the first place? Injured or not, she wasn't going to let anything stop her from being a part of whatever was going on in that tent. She had _just_ gotten used to being welcomed into the mix of things and she was finding that she liked being included. No bruised face or sore hand was going to keep her away.

Melody unzipped the tent flap and stepped in, quickly shutting the little door to ensure that she wasn't followed in. The voices stopped as soon as she arrived, but that didn't hinder Melody in the slightest. She turned to face the group, unsurprised to find four hesitant sets of eyes watching her carefully.

Bellamy and Clarke stood close together, neither one of them looking happy. They'd been arguing again, about something that Melody could only begin to guess at. Jasper and Octavia lingered nearby.

"What's going on?" Melody strode forward, quite literally forcing her way into the circle of trust without asking permission.

"Mel, shouldn't you be-" Jasper began to bring up her current condition, but Melody refused to be dismissed so easily.

"I'm fine, Jasper." Melody's voice was hard and controlled. She was sick of giving everyone the 'I'm fine' line over and over again. Especially when her bumps and bruises were nothing compared to whatever had put _that _look on Clarke's face.

Both Clarke and Bellamy remained silent. It was obvious that neither one of them wanted to involve Melody in whatever they were fighting about, and she forced herself not to take it personally. _It's just because you're injured, Melody. They don't want to stress you out._

There was no denying the fact that they'd been locked in some sort of power struggle prior to Melody's arrival. _That_was nothing new. The two of them hardly ever agreed on anything and they were both so stubborn that it resulted in constant conflict. That was one of the biggest reasons that Melody had no desire to step forward and take charge. She liked to help people, but she didn't want to _lead _them. It was too much pressure and there was too much confliction among the group.

"Clarke?" Melody set her sights on the golden-haired doctor, figuring it would be easier to get answers from Clarke than Bellamy.

Clarke remained silent.

Surprisingly, it was Octavia who spoke up in Melody's favor. "Tell her." Octavia didn't so much ask as she _demanded_, her steely gaze flickering between the two unofficial leaders. "Melody is one of _us_. She has a right to know."

Melody didn't know when "_us_" had extended to Bellamy Blake, but she didn't have time to question it. Octavia's words had a dark sort of undertone that confirmed Melody's suspicions that something big had happened. Not that it surprised her, really. Their lives had been nothing but one big mess of disasters ever since they arrived on Earth. The sea serpent, Jasper's spearing, poisonous fog, _Murphy,_ Wells' death, Atom's death…Melody was convinced she could handle whatever Clarke threw at her.

"Wells was murdered." When Melody failed to get the meaning behind these words, Clarke sighed loudly and added, "By one of our own."

The effect that Clarke's words had on Melody was immediate. She blinked a few times as she tried to process exactly what that meant. _One of our own._That meant that someone in the camp had killed Wells and pinned it on the grounders. Melody couldn't say she was overly surprised with this news, but it still made her heart ache for the poor boy. He'd been a target for most of the delinquents, but he had still done what he could to try and help out. He'd been doing it for Clarke, but it had effected them all. And then, to be killed by one of his own…

It was despicable.

"Murdered." Melody repeated softly, shaking her head slowly as if she couldn't quite believe it. She could, but it was hard to grasp. "How do you know?"

Clarke held up a knife that was very similar to Melody's. It was made from the same scraps of discarded dropship metal. "Jasper and Octavia found this outside of the wall. Along with some of Wells' fingers."

"His _fingers_?" Melody gaped.

"Cut clean off. They were laying near the spot where Clarke found his body." Interjected Octavia grimly. "The knife was beside them."

"What are we going to _do_?" Wondered Melody.

Her question seemed to help Bellamy find his voice. "_Nothing._" His tone was harsh and final, his eyes alight with that hostile gleam which Melody knew all too well.

Melody frowned. "What do you mean _nothing_? Killers inside of the wall are more dangerous than killers outside of the wall, Bellamy."

"There's more than one murderer in this camp. This isn't news." He reminded them. "We need to keep it quiet."

_Quiet?_ Melody couldn't believe what she was hearing. She would have thought that Bellamy of all people would be the first to spring into action. Hadn't he given her a whole lecture about taking care of these people? About doing what needed to be done? And yet when it came down to it, he was content to let a murderer walk among them.

"We are pardoned." Melody crossed her arms -with a little difficulty and a lot of pain- over her chest and stood her ground. "The moment we got down here all of our crimes were erased."

"Oh they were, sweetheart?" Bellamy's sinister glare chilled Melody to the bone. He took a slight pause, to emphasize his next words. "Were they _really_?"

Melody paused, the double meaning behind his words seeping into her mind. There was no question about what he was referring to. Bellamy _knew_ that she was still guilty over Doctor Evans' death. He'd seen the effect the memory had on her, he'd seen her when she was at her most vulnerable. And he had promised to keep it a secret.

"Yes. Or so I was told." Melody leveled her gaze. It seemed to say, _you __promised to keep your mouth shut._

Bellamy understood.

"Then I guess it must be true."

No one else noticed the silent exchange that had gone on between the two of them.

Fueled by the truth behind Melody's words, Clarke tried to make her way past Bellamy. Of course he didn't even budge. Instead, he just stared down at Clarke with his arms crossed over his chest. Another power struggle.

"Get out of my way, Bellamy."

Melody and Clarke were alike in a lot of ways. They were both strong and stubborn and they refused to be intimidated by Bellamy Blake. When the two of them were together, they seemed to feed off of one another's angst. Clarke's words had thrown Melody into motion, and in return Melody's words had fired up Clarke. They were a good but dangerous team.

Bellamy could see defeat looming on the horizon. His last defense was to try and reason with the good doctor. "Clarke, be smart about this. Look at what we've achieved… the wall, the patrols. Like it or not, thinking the Grounders killed Wells is good for us." The only problem with his logic was that it was corrupt and entirely unethical.

"Oh, good for you, you mean." She snapped. "What… keep people afraid and they'll work for you? Is that it?"

They didn't often see Clarke's angrier side, but now she was in full swing. Like Melody, Clarke didn't care for the way Bellamy was treating the rest of the campers. He scared them, threatened them, and punished them in order to get them to do manual labor. It wasn't right.

"Yeah. That's it. But it's good for all of us. Fear of the Grounders is building that wall." Bellamy didn't even try to deny it. He knew what he was doing, and he thought that it was the best approach. "And besides, what are you gonna do… just walk out there and ask the killer to step forward? You don't even know whose knife that is."

That's where he was wrong.

"Oh really?" Clarke held up the knife. "J.M. John Murphy."

No one was surprised. They'd all seen Murphy in action. They knew what kind of person he was. Hadn't Melody and Octavia stopped him from killing Jasper just last week? It was all too easy to accept that he could have killed Wells, too. Murphy had never hidden his loathing of the Chancellor's son. They'd gotten into fights often, fights that typically ended with death threats. And it seemed that now, Murphy had made good on his promise.

"The people deserve to know the truth." Clarke brushed past Bellamy, and this time he did nothing to stop her. What could he do? The proof was staring him in the face. There was no denying who that knife belonged to and the only possible conclusion to be drawn was that Murphy had been the one to kill Wells.

There had to be justice.

The remaining four couldn't get out of the tent fast enough. They were still scrambling out as Clarke flew into action. She wasted no time in accusing Murphy of being the murderer. Whatever had been between her and Wells on the Ark was apparently not entirely lost to Clarke, who looked equal parts pained and pissed. She shoved at Murphy's chest, sending him stumbling backwards as she screamed obscenities after him.

Bellamy moved forward, but this time it was Melody's turn to stop him.

After all the hell that Murphy had caused, and after all the pain that he had put so many of them through, he didn't get to just walk free. Justice had to be served. Melody didn't know _how _they would go about punishing him, but she knew that it had to be done. Like she'd told Monty, everyone needed to realize that this wasn't the Ark. Life mattered down here. They couldn't just throw it away on a whim and not look back.

"No." Mel placed one hand on his arm in an almost pleading yet somehow firm manner. Her gaze found his and she frowned. "She needs to do this, Bellamy."

The two of them watched as Clarke took charge.

"Recognize this?" Clarke held up the knife once more, the sunlight glinting off of the silver surface. When Murphy stretched his fingers towards the weapon, Clarke stepped backwards and out of his reach.

"That's my knife." Murphy stared at her blankly. His gaze flickered towards the knife and for a moment he looked as if he were debating taking it by force. "Where'd you find it?"

Clarke was too fired up to buy into Murphy's innocent act. "Where you dropped it after you killed Wells."

"Where I _what_?" Murphy scowled at Clarke, arms crossed over his chest defensively.

By now a crowd had begun to form. As always, the delinquents were overly eager for any form of conflict. The more blood spilled, the better. It was one of their only forms of entertainment. Murphy looked around for a moment as he noticed the people beginning to form a loose circle around him and Clarke.

"The grounders killed Wells. Not me."

The two of them argued back and forth for several minutes. Clarke continued to point out how much Murphy had hated Wells. Murphy had reminded her that a lot of people hated Wells, considering his father had put them all in prison. Clarke pointed out that they had gotten into several fights, but Murphy had pointed out that he hadn't killed Wells then, either.

"He tried to kill Jasper, too!" Octavia fanned the flames of the fire without hesitation.

Jasper's eyes widened. "What?"

Mel placed a hand on the boy's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. She hadn't even thought to tell Jasper about her fight with Murphy. All of it happened while he was still in recovery, and so there were some gaps to his knowledge. She hadn't really seen the point in worrying Jasper over it, considering the fact that he had lived through it all. But now she wished she had.

"This is ridiculous." Murphy shook his head slightly. "I don't have to answer to you. I don't have to answer to _anyone._" He threw his hands in the air, frustrated and maybe a little scared.

"Come again?" Bellamy narrowed his eyes.

Murphy approached them then, causing Melody to take an instinctive step backwards. He didn't even spare her a second glance, however, and had eyes only for Bellamy. "Bellamy, look, I'm telling you, man. I didn't do this."

Bellamy looked unconvinced. "They found his fingers on the ground with your knife." He informed Murphy quietly, the words for his ears only. It was obvious that Bellamy didn't want to be in this position, but there was nothing he could do to help Murphy. There was solid evidence against him. There had to be justice.

Clarke was still on a roll, fueled by anger at what had happened to her friend. Her voice rang out, loud and clear and strong, as she addressed the crowd. "Is this the kind of society that we want? You say there should be no rules. Does that mean that we can kill each other without… without punishment?"

"I say we float him!" A delinquent called out. Several others voiced their agreement.

The words made Melody's blood run cold. _Float him?_ They couldn't do that. This wasn't the Ark and they couldn't just "float' the people that they didn't want in their society. She agreed with Clarke on the fact that there should be some sort of punishment. Some sort of justice. But Melody did not want to see anyone else killed. Not even John Murphy.

Murphy was a dick, but he was one of them. And every one of their lives mattered.

It was terrifying how quickly the delinquents turned on Murphy, because none of them shared the same mindset as Melody. They'd never liked or even respected him. They'd simply been too afraid to stand up to him, for fear of what might happen. And now that fear was gone. And in their eyes, it was perfectly okay to kill Murphy as punishment for his crimes.

Melody thought of that conversation she'd had with Monty. It felt like an eternity ago that the two of them had been sitting on the upper level, watching over Jasper after he'd first been brought back to camp. Discussing how little life meant to most of them.

_"Isn't it sad?" Melody asked suddenly, turning her thoughtful eyes onto Monty._

_"Isn't what sad?"_

_"How little they care about human life." Melody explained with a sigh. "We know better than anyone what it's like to be the disposable ones. To have the value of our lives taken from us and completely disregarded. Each and every one of them has felt that way, and yet somehow they're not even phased by the thought of death. It's like the Ark has brainwashed us into thinking that death should be a common occurrence and we shouldn't put too much stock in it. It's sad."_

"Clarke!" Melody's voice was slightly panicked as she watched the crowd begin to get antsy. They were all murmuring their agreement with the delinquent who had suggested the harshest punishment imaginable.

They _all_ wanted Murphy dead.

"That's not what I'm saying." Clarke's voice was quiet. She stared over at the boy who had caused the uproar with widened, almost frightened eyes.

"Why not? It's justice." He shrugged. There were more words of agreement from the rest of the delinquents. The crowd was quickly slipping away from the world that they lived in and back into the world that they came from.

"Revenge isn't justice!" Clarke was appalled.

"It's justice. Float him!" The boy cried out. And then, he began to chant. "Float him, float him, float him!"

Soon the entire crowd was chanting. _Float him, float him, float him!_The only ones not chanting were Clarke, Bellamy, Melody, Octavia, Jasper, and Monty. Once more it was _us _against _them. _Only this time, _they _had the upper hand.

Murphy tried to run away from the crowd, but was knocked down. The moment he was on the ground the group pounced on him as one, tearing into him without mercy. Dozens of delinquents were punching and kicking him left and right, squelching any effort he made to get to his feet. It was absolute chaos. Among the uproar, Melody could only make out one voice; Clarke's.

"_No! Get off him!__" _Clarke was bordering on hysterical as she attempted to fight her way to Murphy's side. Her efforts were futile.

Octavia tried to push her way forward, too, but Bellamy pulled her backwards. The girl's gaze burned with a mixture of frustration and helplessness, but there was nothing she could do. Even if she'd made it to the front of the group, there was no way she could overpower all of the people who were screaming for blood. Murphy's fate had been all but decided.

By trying to bring justice to Wells' death, Clarke and the others would inadvertly cause another.

Upon seeing both of the girls fail in their attempts to intervene, Melody stepped forward. If nothing else, she could try. She managed to weave her way through a few bodies on the outskirts of the crowd before getting pulled back and into the safety beyond. Mel's head snapped to the side and she found Jasper staring down at her evenly. His grip on her was tight, tighter than she would have through him capable of, and Melody knew that there was no way she could talk her way out of this.

"Bellamy, you have to do something!" There was no point in struggling. Instead, Melody simply turned her hopeful gaze towards their rebel king. She knew it was a long shot, but that didn't stop her from trying. "They'll kill him!"

The crowd began to move forward unanimously. Melody shuffled slowly, watching in horror as a group of burly guys dragged Murphy forward. They moved as a unit towards the far end of camp, where a large and sturdy tree stood. Beneath it were the graves of the other campers, the few that had succumbed to the dangers of Earth and the journey it took to get there. A rope was quickly thrown over one of the thick branches, a neatly tied noose dangling from its end. Within moments the guys had the noose fitted around Murphy's neck and they were lifting his thrashing body into the air.

It was in that moment that Melody realized there was no helping Murphy.

Clarke wasn't giving up. She'd managed to struggle her way through the bulk of the crowd and was now facing off with Bellamy. Her blue eyes were liquid fire as she beat her tightly balled fists against the male's chest, shoving him backwards. "You can stop this! They'll listen to you, Bellamy!"

One of the delinquents pointed to Bellamy.

"You should do it, Bellamy!"

_Bel-la-my, Bel-la-my, Bel-la-my!_

They were chanting his name like a war cry. Murphy was going to die, and they all wanted Bellamy to be the one to end his life. The hard-eyed male stood still with his arms crossed tightly over his chest, watching the scene closely. And despite the fact that it was wrong and they all knew it, Bellamy appeared to be debating giving into the pleas of his followers. He was actually considering ending Murphy's life.

"I know you're not a killer!" Clarke's voice was desperate, pleading. The hope in her eyes was quickly depleting as she realized that she was fighting a losing battle.

Murphy was desperately shaking his head while he stared at Bellamy, silently begging him not to do it. He had been rendered silent by a piece of material that they had wrapped around his mouth, gagging him. But the look in his bulging eyes said it all; _I don't deserve to die._

And he didn't. Two wrongs didn't make a right. Two deaths didn't equal justice.

But that didn't stop Bellamy from making the wrong decision. He strode forward confidently, his narrowed and determined gaze saying everything that his mouth didn't.

The shriek that left Melody's mouth was hysterical. She couldn't form coherent thoughts as she watched him move forward, almost in slow motion, each step bringing him closer and closer to the point of no return. All she could manage to get out was a string of broken phrases. "_Please-don't-you can't-no-not right- Bellamy, please-no-NO!"_

Melody was badly outnumbered. She was screaming for Bellamy to stop, but the rest of them were egging him on. Her voice was one in a hundred, but she _knew _that it wouldn't be drowned out. Not to him. And still, Bellamy moved forward without looking back. He came to a stop in front of Murphy and paused only for a millisecond before lashing out and kicking away the pile of wood that had been supporting Murphy's weight.

The rope dropped. Murphy writhed in pain as the cord cut into the flesh of his neck and began to slowly strangle him. He squirmed, trying to get free, but it was no use. All around them people cheered and shouted and some even _clapped__, as if it were a great show and they wanted an encore. _

Melody could do nothing but watch, horrified, as the life began to seep out of John Murphy.

"No, Bellamy, no!" Clarke shouted in his face and pounded on Bellamy's chest, tears running down her face, but it was no use. The damage was done.

Bellamy grabbed Clarke by the arms and gave her a rough shake. His eyes burned with barely-constrained rage, his voice hard and sharp. "This is on you, princess. You should've kept your mouth shut!"

Melody couldn't peel her eyes away from Murphy long enough to get involved. She knew that this image, the way his body twitched and jerked and convulsed, the way his eyes bulged in their sockets and began to dim, the sound of his strangled gasps as he fought to keep himself alive; all of it would be seared into her mind permanently. The terrified look in his eyes as the life was slowly drained from his body was chilling.

Some memories stay with you forever.

"What the hell are you doing!?" Finn burst through the crowd, shoving people out of the way as he cleared a path towards Murphy. He paused only once, briefly, to usher a girl away from the hanging, but to no avail.

It was Charlotte, the little girl that they'd been watching earlier in the morning. She was a small thing, no more than twelve or thirteen years old. She had a pudgy child's face and big blue eyes that had been hardened beyond their years. A little girl like her didn't belong in prison, she didn't belong amongst dozens of real convicts, and she _definitely _didn't belong in the midst of an unlawful hanging. There was horror in her widened gaze as she stood rooted to the spot, watching everything unfold around her.

The girl wasn't listening to Finn. Spurred into action by the knowledge of what seeing something like this could do to a little girl, Melody took it upon herself to make sure Charlotte wasn't traumatized further. Melody finally managed to wrench her arm from Jasper's grasp, moving forward too quickly for her plans to be foiled once again.

"Charlotte, you need to go! You need to get out of here!" Melody shouted loudly to be heard over the roar of the crowd, but the girl stared ahead blankly. She didn't appear to be phased in the slightest, and so Melody persisted. "Get back to the dropship!"

Octavia was there then, trying to help. She wrapped her arms around Charlotte and attempted to pull the smaller girl away from the gut-wrenching scene. The latter had other plans, however, and she thrust herself forward, voice echoing loudly throughout the forest.

"Stop! Okay?" Charlotte screeched, her childlike voice ringing high above the rest. "Murphy didn't kill Wells!"

The noise seemed to stop all at once. Eyes turned towards the child standing in the midst of the crowd, her hands trembling by her sides. A wave of confused mumbling washed over the crowd, but then they all quickly fell silent once more. All attention had been focused on Charlotte, who stared evenly back at the group.

"I did it."

|oOo|

"Bring out the girl, Bellamy!"

Murphy's voice was hoarse and it cracked when he raised it to a shout, but nothing could mask the fury that he felt. He'd been cut down and freed from the noose in the nick of time. Even a minute longer and he would have been gone. It had taken Murphy a few minutes to recover from the loss of oxygen, but the moment he'd composed himself, he'd been out for revenge. He paced outside of the tent relentlessly, determined to have justice.

Melody found herself on the outside looking in, watching anxiously for any sign of movement from the tent where Bellamy had retreated along with Clarke and Finn and Charlotte. The minutes had slowly ticked by. The crowd had long since gathered in front of the tent, their thirst for blood not yet quenched. They no longer cried out for Murphy's blood. It was as if they'd completely forgotten that just minutes before they'd been trying to murder him.

With each passing moment, Murphy grew more restless. Melody had a feeling that the only reason he didn't charge in there and kill Charlotte was because in order to do so, he'd have to go through Bellamy. Whether he respected or feared Bellamy was yet to be determined, but soon it wouldn't matter. If something didn't happen soon, he was going to act. He paced back and forth impatiently, enjoying the audience.

"Bring the girl out _now_!"

Melody stood on the front line, directly behind Murphy. She was flanked on either side by Jasper and Octavia, neither of whom had been invited into the tent. Unlike the rest of the group, they didn't want to see Charlotte hung for her crimes. Having been in similar positions, Melody and Octavia were able to look beyond the so-called "justice" that everyone kept talking about. All they saw was a scared little girl. A girl who didn't know if she was going to live or die. They saw _themselves_.

Melody had been thirteen years old when she was imprisoned for murder. She'd been afraid of dying then. And when she'd been sent to Earth, that fear had only increased. Octavia had spent her whole life hiding under the floor, not knowing if someone might discover her little secret. She'd been afraid of dying then. And when Octavia had been arrested when she was fifteen years old simply for _being born_, she'd been afraid of death then, too.

They both knew what it was like to be in Charlotte's position.

"You want to build a society, princess? Let's build a society." Murphy was howling, but it was getting easier to drown him out. His voice became more like background noise than anything else, just something to fill the empty space. "Bring her out."

After a moments' hesitation, Melody reached out and slipped her hand into Octavia's. She didn't really know why. It just felt right. Startled, the raven-haired girl turned her head towards Melody and gaped at her. Their gazes clashed for a moment and the scared look in Melody's eyes was mirrored in Octavia's. They were both thinking the same thing. _This could have been me. __And in their fear, they stood united. _

Bellamy ducked out of the tent and Octavia's grip on Melody's hand tightened. She was afraid for her brother. And why shouldn't she be? Murphy had an entire army behind him…Leader or not, Bellamy wouldn't stand a chance against all of them if they decided to turn. He could be hanged just as easily as Murphy had almost been. Melody gave Octavia's hand a gentler squeeze, trying to reassure her, and turned her gaze towards the two boys who were standing off.

"Well, well, well. Look who decided to join us." Murphy moved towards Bellamy quickly, his strides long and smooth. There was none of the mocking playfulness that usually evened out his tone when he spoke to Bellamy. They both knew that when it came down to it, only one of them could win this. And Murphy was ready.

"Dial it down and back off." Bellamy's voice was brimming with pure authority. Even standing against the lot of them, he still managed to pull of the cool, rebel king façade.

"Or what?" Murphy openly challenged Bellamy, a twisted sort of glint in his eye that made Melody's skin crawl. "What are you going to do, Bellamy? Hang me?"

"I was just giving the people what they wanted."

Those words echoed in Melody's ears.

Once again, Bellamy was proving to her that he was incapable of making his own decisions. Like the rest of them, he was easily influenced. He didn't seem to have a mind of his own. And if he did, then he was too much of a coward to go against the grain. Power was more important to him than doing the right thing.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's a good idea. Why don't we do that right now?" Murphy's voice was soft. Deadly. He turned to face the crowd once more, egging them on. "So, who here wants to see the real murderer hung up? All in favor?" Asked Murphy, raising his hand.

Only a few hands went up. The hands of the boys who had so eagerly beat Murphy down to deliver what they referred to as _justice._Melody doubted they even knew what the word meant. She was glad, however, to see that the majority of the people didn't move. In contrary to what she had believed, they weren't his soldiers. They were just onlookers; an audience. They had some semblance of morals.

The fact that so few people wanted to see Charlotte hanged came as an unpleasant surprise to Murphy.

"I see. So, it's okay to string me up for _nothing_, but when this little bitch confesses, you all let her walk?" His voice rose with each and every word, until he was shouting at them. "Cowards! All of you are cowards!"

"Murphy!" Bellamy's commanding shout drowned out Murphy's cries for justice. With a piercing gaze he moved forward ever so slowly, not stopping until he and Murphy were face-to-face. "It's over."

Murphy looked at Bellamy, his gaze calculating. He was weighing his options, knowing that he now stood alone. Would opposing Bellamy really be worth the risk? It could cost him everything. "Whatever you say, boss." Murphy raised his palms up innocently in defeat.

Bellamy turned his back on Murphy. He managed a few steps in the direction of the tent before Murphy lunged forward and swiped up a piece of firewood, which he brought down hard over the top of Bellamy's head. There was a loud _crack_before the latter fell to the ground, eyes slipped shut, void of consciousness.

Octavia let out a wordless shriek and launched herself forward. Whether she wanted to reach Murphy or Bellamy first was unclear, but there was no denying the fury that burned in her hazel gaze. "Son of a bitch!"

Murphy stepped forward, ready for the inevitable attack. Before Octavia could reach him and serve up some _real _justice, Jasper was there and holding her back. They struggled for a few seconds, and then Murphy lashed out, punching Jasper square in the throat. He fell backwards into the dirt, gasping for breath. Octavia, free from the confines of his arms, raced forward to check on Bellamy.

"Come on." Murphy nodded towards his goons. "Let's get the girl."

Melody bent by Jasper's side and looked him over quickly, assessing the damage. He'd gotten the wind knocked out of him and was probably in a helluva lot of pain, but he still managed to pull himself into an upright position. Although he was rubbing furiously at his throat and struggling to breath, Jasper waved her away, gasping. "_Charlotte__."_

Reminded of the bigger picture, Melody scrambled back to her feet. By the time she recollected herself, Murphy had already stormed the tent. There was a few moments pause and then a bellow of rage before the group of boys surfaced once more. Relief surged through Melody when she realized that Charlotte wasn't in the tent. Somehow, she had managed to get away. No doubt with the help of Clarke and Finn.

"Charlotte! Charlotte, I know you can hear me!" Murphy was ravenous, and what he craved was the little girl's head on a spike. "When I find you, you are gonna pay!"

Murphy's threat sent a shiver down Melody's spine. If he found Charlotte, he wouldn't hesitate before killing her. He'd always given off a dark and dangerous sort of vibe. It wasn't just that he did bad things; he _enjoyed _doing them. There was something dark and twisty deep down inside of John Murphy, something that chilled Melody to the bone.

All she could do was pray that she got to Charlotte first.

When Melody turned back around, Monty was helping Jasper get to his feet. Although he was laughing it off, Jasper was visibly shaken. He had been through so much in the last few weeks. Everything with the grounders, his recovery, venturing back out into the real world, and now he'd been throat punched by Murphy. The poor kid could not catch a break.

"Can you take care of him, Monty?" There was a determinedness in Melody's stance as she came to a stop in front of them, arms crossed tightly over her chest. Her gaze flickered towards the tree line, where she knew Charlotte had disappeared.

"Melody, you can't leave." Monty frowned, not bothering to answer the question. "Murphy already has it out for you. If you try and help Charlotte he'll _kill you._"

"I have to go. I can't let Charlotte fend for herself." Melody couldn't help but to feel a bit guilty when she saw their worried, fearful expressions. They were afraid for her. They didn't want her to go out there and risk crossing Murphy's path. Melody didn't want to, either; she _had _to.

"She's not your problem, Mel." Jasper frowned. "Why would you risk your life for her?"

"_You_ weren't my problem either, Jasper!" Melody reminded him. "And I risked my life for you." The words had come out harsher than she had intended, but it was the truth. She didn't do stupid, reckless things just for the hell of it. She did them because she _had _to. There was something inside of Melody that compelled her to help those that couldn't help themselves.

And hadn't he just told her to protect Charlotte, instead of helping him?

Neither one of them could understand why she needed to do this and Melody couldn't bring herself to tell them. What was she supposed to _say_? Melody couldn't explain to them why she needed to save Charlotte without also telling them her deepest, darkest secret. And as much as she wanted to be completely honest with them, she just wasn't ready for that information to be revealed.

"We're just worried, Melody." Monty's voice was soft now. He gave her a pleading expression that tugged at Melody's heart strings. "We don't want anything to happen to you."

Mel sighed softly and gave a reluctant nod of her head. "I _know_ that, Monty. I know you guys think you have to watch out for me, but I can handle myself."

It was ironic that Melody would say that considering how much _she_ watched out for _them_, without them even asking her to. The irony was not lost on any of them, and soon the three friends were grinning at one another. The tense mood had been broken, as Melody tended to have that effect when she least meant to, and she took advantage of the temporary lull in their argument.

"Don't worry. If I see Murphy I'll run, okay? I can outrun them if nothing else." Melody glanced hopefully between the two boys. She didn't _need_ their permission, but she wanted it. She wanted them to let her go willingly so that they wouldn't be disappointed and upset when she left regardless of who tried to stop her.

Monty and Jasper exchanged a look. It was a few long moments before Jasper finally sighed in defeat. He nodded at her reluctantly, looking less than pleased about it. "Just be careful, Melody. I don't like the idea of you out there all by yourself." He gave Mel an affectionate once-over, which sent warmth tingling through her.

"She won't be alone."

All three of their heads whipped towards the side in a cartoon-ish fashion. Striding towards them, a determined glint in his eye, was one Bellamy Blake. His dark hair was matted with a combination of blood and dirt, but otherwise he looked mostly unaffected by Murphy's assault. Octavia hovered by his side, looking just as worried as Monty and Jasper had.

She began to protest, but ultimately Melody knew that it was pointless to try and fight with Bellamy. He was almost as stubborn as she was and there was no way he would relent easily. Instead of wasting both their breath and their time, Melody decided that it would be best to just accept the fact that he wanted to tag along.

_This doesn't mean you forgive him._

"You're coming with me?" Melody raised her eyebrows, half hoping that the answer to her question would be a firm _no. _

"It's not safe out there by yourself." Bellamy cast a glance towards the forest's edge and gave a simple shrug. "Power in numbers."

"It's settled then." Melody gave the two boys what she hoped was a reassuring smile. It was stiff and forced, but it worked. "We'd better head out before it gets dark."

"Be safe." Octavia's voice was soft as she looked between the two of them. "Both of you. I expect you'll be returning to me in one piece."

"That's the plan, O." Bellamy gave his sister an affectionate smile and then turned his attention back towards Melody. He looked about as excited as she was. "You ready?"

"As ready as ever." Or, at least, as ready as she ever would be. Melody gave Jasper and Monty a small smile and waggled her fingers in a half-hearted wave. "I'll see you soon."

And then, they were leaving.

It was already almost nightfall by the time they started out. Melody knew that it would be dangerous out in the forest, with only the moonlight and their not-so-great sense of direction to guide them. She _also_ knew there was a greater chance that all of the things wanting to kill them were asleep. So, the chance of their survival was probably right around even with their chance of death. _That_was comforting.

Melody and Bellamy didn't talk very much for the first few hours. There was nothing for the two of them to say. They were not friends; just two people united for the same cause. The silence was not unbearable by any means. Melody had spent so long by herself that silence was actually more comforting than anything he could say to her. And if they weren't talking there was no chance they could be fighting. God knew that when one of them opened their mouth the other _always_had something to say.

"I know why you care so much." Stated Bellamy boldly, as if sensing Melody's thoughts.

Melody's eyebrows flew up in surprise as she turned her head to look at him. "Oh you do?" She tried her best to sound indifferent, but it wasn't really working for her. It was hard to control herself enough to sound casual when all she really wanted to do was grab him and shake him and demand that he get right to the point and tell her what he knew. But hadn't she already learned what he knew? He knew _everything._

It was no secret that Melody didn't like people trying to break down her walls. What she _did_like was keeping everyone at arm's length, in their neat little boxes. Friends. Enemies. Others. It was so much easier that way, when everyone and everything had a label.

And while she cared greatly for all of her friends, Melody didn't allow them to really _know_ her. They knew only what she wanted them to. What little personal facts she shared, she shared on her own terms. The thoughts that she voiced aloud were chosen particularly and more often than not, things went left unsaid. The sides of Melody that they saw were driven by honor and ambition and ethics and love. They didn't see the demons hiding just beneath the surface.

On a certain level she was completely sealed off; a closed book. When someone got too close, Melody pushed them away. She didn't want to be analyzed or understood, but at the same time she wanted nothing more than to be accepted fully by those that she cared for. Melody's mind was a complex and scary place. How could anyone understand her when she didn't even understand herself?

And more importantly, how did Bellamy Blake seem to read her so easily?

"You care because you're not like the rest of them. You realize that justice and an eye for an eye don't always go hand in hand." He looked fixedly at Melody with those serious, dark brown eyes. They seemed to look right through her. "Charlotte's just a frightened little girl that did what she thought she had to. And you can relate to that."

The words caused Melody's heart to skip a beat. She broke out into a cold sweat. How had he summed it up so simply, and yet so perfectly? It was as if he had taken the thoughts directly from her mind and somehow transformed them beautifully to describe exactly what she was feeling deep down in the pit of her stomach.

"I don't mean to say you don't want justice, because you _do._" Continued Bellamy, oblivious to the internal turmoil that was rampant in Melody's mind. "But it isn't the same kind of justice Murphy is calling for. You want Charlotte to get a second chance. You want her to be given the same opportunity that the council gave to you."

The words shook Melody to her core. The fact that _Bellamy Blake_was able to dissect her mind so easily was absolutely terrifying. It made Melody feel so…_exposed._All of her innermost thoughts were out in the open, suspended in mid-air between them. Rather than giving Bellamy the satisfaction of seeing just how much he had affected her, Melody decided that she would neither deny nor confirm his statements.

Instead, she settled on changing the subject; it was one of her many defenses.

"And I know why _you _care so much." Insisted Melody softly. She had to clear her somewhat shaky voice before continuing. "You look at Charlotte and you see Octavia."

Bellamy visibly tensed. It wasn't _all that_ noticeable, but Melody saw the subtle way he clenched his jaw. The muscle in his jaw twitched irritably. His posture was suddenly ridged, his back as straight as an arrow and his biceps practically bulging with restrained frustration as he clenched his hands at his sides. There was a slight furrow of his brows before realized what he was doing and collected himself. His reaction let Melody know that her hesitant declaration had been spot-on.

"Octavia spent her entire life hiding. She was young and defenseless and she didn't deserve to spend every day wondering if she would live to see the next morning. She was an unregistered child. They could have floated her in the blink of an eye." Melody's green gaze was cast downwards, her voice soft. She felt like she should be whispering. These intimate words had no place being spoken aloud, for all to hear.

And yet, they had to be said.

"But they didn't float her, Bellamy," Continued Melody in the same hushed voice. "Because even the _council _knew that murdering children was inhumane."

"They floated my mother." His voice was sharper now, but still low. The words came out as little more than a hiss. "They floated my mother and they locked up Octavia. They left her there to rot in a cell for no reason at all, other than she was born without papers."

"And they floated my father." Melody frowned. "I didn't say the council was _just_, but they gave her an opportunity that they didn't have to. That gave _me _an opportunity that they didn't have to. We both know that Charlotte deserves that same chance."

Bellamy was scowling; he didn't like having his thoughts picked apart. And yet he didn't contradict Melody. It was a sensitive subject given their complicated pasts on the Ark, but they both had insight that the rest did not. And they both understood that this was their chance to make Earth _better._ To instill a new policy; a policy of justice that was flexible enough to be bent and manipulated, but not broken.

Death could no longer be the go-to punishment.

They were quiet for a few minutes then, and there seemed to be a new sort of unspoken understanding between the two of them. Their differences in the past no longer mattered. Every insignificant fight they'd gotten into and every exchange of hateful words fueled by their anger had all been set aside. Right now, they were allies. United in something that went deeper than just their common knowledge of right and wrong.

This time, it was Melody who broke the silence between them. It wasn't something she was used to doing; small talk had never been her forte. But she felt that it was her place to say something now. It only felt _right_ to let Bellamy know that she hadn't just brushed off his earlier words. She'd heard them loud and clear.

"I'm sorry that they floated your mother." There was no mistaking the sincerity behind the words. Many of the kids on the Ark grew up with only one parent. Adults usually got the death penalty without a second thought. Melody was no stranger to loss, although her circumstances were slightly different. "It must have been hard, being on your own."

"I managed." Bellamy gave a lazy, unconcerned shrug. "She wasn't much of a parent, anyways. I raised myself and Octavia. My sister, my responsibility."

This revelation surprised Melody, whose own mother had always been present in her life. Perhaps a little distant at times, and a little weak at others, but she'd always shown Melody love in her own sort of way. Grace Pond had gone through hell and back more times than anyone could count, and she did it to provide her daughter with everything she could ever need or want. Sure, she hadn't exactly been the best role model at times, but she did her best.

_Women are meant to be delicate, Melody. We are built for domestic duties, not battle._

As a mother, Grace Pond had always tried to instill her own sense of identity in her daughter. She'd wanted Melody to be just as delicate and fragile as she was. Her way was what she believed to be the best way, and it was these lessons that were instilled early on which led Melody to struggle with so much internal conflict over the years. But despite her medieval way of thinking and her insistence that women needed to be protected, Grace Pond had also been so _strong._ She taught Melody right from wrong, good from bad, and everything in between. She had instilled upon her daughter a sense of morality and values. She raised Melody be an upstanding citizen of the Ark…right up until she was imprisoned.

"Oh…" The desire to apologize was strong, but Melody refrained. She knew that Bellamy wouldn't appreciate her pity.

"I'm sorry about your dad." Bellamy wasn't one to be all sentimental and genuine, but his words rang with compassion and sincerity.

In her surprise, Melody blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Why? You didn't even know him."

His eyebrows knitted, a frown appearing on his face. "No, I didn't know him. But you didn't know my mother, either." Once again, Bellamy gave a small shrug that suggested he didn't care about what he was saying although it was very obvious that he _did. _ "Any life lost is a misfortune. Even if it isn't _my_ misfortune, it's somebody's."

The words all but took Melody's breath away. This was a side of Bellamy that she had never seen before. A vulnerable, genuine, sincere side of him that you wouldn't believe was buried beneath his tough exterior. She felt almost _special_, being privileged enough to see the inner workings of Bellamy Blake. And Melody knew that this was the first step in making peace. It might take a long time for the two of them to see eye to eye, if they _ever _saw eye to eye, but they were making some sort of progress and it was more than Melody would have ever expected.

"Thanks. It wasn't that bad, though. I didn't know him well or anything." Melody said softly, shrugging her shoulders as she took a page out of the Bellamy Blake handbook and all but brushed his condolences off. "My mom pretty much raised me from the time I was four or five." She had no memories of the time before that; it was as if it had never even happened.

"She must have been a good mom." Bellamy caught Melody's startled gaze and gave a slow roll of his shoulders. Another shrug, this one almost sheepish. "I mean, you turned out alright. You're tough and opinionated. I can only imagine what your mother is like."

Melody's green eyes grew wide as saucers. A startled laugh burst from her lips before she could stop it, prompting her to slap a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound. The thought of her mother being even in the same category of someone who was _tough _and _opinionated __was comical__._It gave Melody a case of the giggles, the soft sounds muffled by the hand over her mouth. It was impossible to fathom a world where her mother was anything other than meek and submissive and Melody's total opposite.

"Oh no. No, no, no." Melody met Bellamy's amused gaze and she couldn't stop herself from laughing once again. "My mother is my exact opposite. She's quiet and timid and jumps every time the pipes creak."

He gave a puzzled little smile, still hesitant about this blossoming acquaintanceship and sought elaboration. "Then how did you manage to end up like you are? So…independent." It was the most accurate and least offensive word in his vocabulary. God knew there were a _lot_ of other ways he could have phrased it.

"Oh, that's Jason's doing. He-" The conversation came to an abrupt stop then, with Melody falling silent and casting her gaze downwards once more.

An almost nostalgic sense of pain flooded her. When it came to Doctor Jason Evans, Melody's feelings were more complex than even she could understand. The memories she possessed seemed to have come from two different times; it almost seemed as if she were two different _people _when it came to the matter. The nostalgia came from a period of time that Melody liked to refer to as _before._Before the murder, before prison, before the man she had once adored turned into a monster before her very eyes.

Jason was always a permanent fixture in Melody's life. He'd been with her mother for as long as Melody could remember. Considering her own father had been floated before she'd gotten the chance to know him, Jason had slipped into the role easily. And like any father, he'd loved her. Melody could remember a time when he had greeted her hugs and kisses and sent her to bed with wild stories of knights and princesses and happily ever afters. Times where he had lavished her with gifts of jewelry and sweets and all of the well-worn novels and poems that she could ever hope to read; all of which she'd had an incredible weakness for.

A time where he had held her hand while she cried and reminded her that even little girls could be brave if they wanted to. A time where he had picked her up and dusted her off after every little scrape and bruise. A time where he had taught her to toughen up and stand up for what she believed in, even if she stood alone. It was Jason who had instilled a sense of courage and strength in Melody, not her mother.

But now, they were living in _after._

The time period that she knew to be _after_ had started when Melody was about twelve years old. That was when she began to realize what was hidden beneath the surface of the man she had once idolized. She started noticing the way her mother seemed to cower down in his presence, submitting herself to him. She saw the difference in the way he talked and acted towards the both of them. She counted the number of bruises that marred her mother's once flawless, ivory skin, and found that each day that number grew. And that was when Melody knew that there was more to Jason Evans than what met the eye. That was when _after_ had truly begun.

The rest of the story wasn't as complicated. Bellamy already knew most of what had happened. She had killed Jason Evans in what appeared to be cold blood…No one knew otherwise. Melody didn't mention the fact that the doctor had forced himself on her. She didn't mention the smug smirk on his face after he had finished with her and went on about his business as if he hadn't just ruined her forever. She hadn't even dared to allow herself to think about his last words before now.

_See you for dinner._

But he hadn't made it to dinner. Because not even a few hours later -when the shame and hatred had taken over Melody's mind and left her completely broken- she had returned to that hospital room. And she had returned wielding a scalpel. She had ended that doctor's life and had felt only relief. Relief for herself and for her mother. It wasn't until later that the guilt hit. But by then, it didn't matter. They were finally _free_ of him.

Melody had slayed the monster.

No one understood why Melody came off as tough and intimidating. Everyone just assumed that she was a total bitch because she _liked it _that way. They didn't understand that she _had_ to be strong. They didn't know what had happened the last time she had allowed herself be weak. No one could possibly begin to understand what prompted Melody to become the person she was. A long time ago, she had vowed to never be weak again if she could help it. And after coming down to Earth, she realized that she didn't just have to put on a brave smile and take whatever abuse came her way, like her mother had done for so many years. After all… _little girls can be brave if they want to._

Melody had certainly proved that, and continued to prove it with every day she spent on Earth.

"Do you hear that?"

Bellamy's voice snapped Melody out of her thoughts. Or rather, memories. Cocking her head to one side, Melody listened as intently as she possibly could, but it was hard to hear anything over the erratic beating of her heart. She forced her breathing to become shallow, tried to steady the furious pace of her pulse. And that was when she heard it…the sound of light footsteps against the forest floor. The labored breathing of someone who had been running for far too long.

They looked at each other and said in unison, "Charlotte."

It wasn't long then before they saw her burst through the trees. Melody nudged Bellamy forward, knowing that he would have more luck reaching out to the little girl. After all, the two of them had bonded over something that Melody just didn't understand. Mostly because Bellamy hadn't said anything about it and she hadn't thought to ask.

Bellamy lunged forward and wrapped one firm arm around the girl's waist, dragging her back towards the shadows where Melody waited. With his free hand, Bellamy muffled the startled cry that left the girl's lips. Charlotte looked at him with wide and scared eyes as she struggled against his grip. Bellamy was quick to soothe her with a gentle, "Shhh."

Somewhere in the distance, Murphy was on the hunt. It was only a matter of minutes before his voice rang out and resonated in the empty forest. "Charlotte! You can't hide forever." He called out in a sing-song voice that was somehow still frightening. "Don't worry, we won't hurt you!"

Bellamy grabbed Charlotte by one arm and then they were running through the forest, away from the voices. It wasn't as easy for Melody as it would have been under different circumstances. Her arm was still injured, her knuckles bruised and her muscles fatigued. The pain along her cheekbone had dulled, but she still felt drained from the activities that had taken place earlier in the morning. The exhaustion became more apparent the harder she pushed herself, but somehow she forced herself to power through it all. Being smaller and lighter than most made her quick, and even injured she still managed to keep up with Bellamy and Charlotte.

What Melody didn't understand was why the girl was fighting Bellamy every step of the way. Charlotte dragged her feet and struggled as she tried to wriggle her way out of his grip, but to no avail. As if _that_ would ever happen. Melody knew from experience that Bellamy's grip was like an iron vise. How else would he have been able to contain her on so many occasions?

"Let me go!" Shrieked Charlotte as she tried to pull her arm away from Bellamy.

"I'm trying to help you!" Bellamy hissed, looking at the girl in confusion. He turned his gaze towards Melody, who simply shrugged. She didn't understand it either.

"I'm not your sister! Just stop helping me!" Charlotte snapped out. It was a low blow, but it served its purpose. It distracted him long enough for Charlotte to make her escape. "I'm over here!" With one quick movement she'd shaken Bellamy's grip on her arm and was tearing off in the direction of the voices, shouting for Murphy. "Murphy!"

"Are you trying to get us all killed?" Bellamy pounced, grabbing the girl by her small shoulders and giving her a rough shake. His gaze was narrowed angrily, confusion written across his face. Didn't she realize that they were trying to help her?

"Just go, okay?" Charlotte looked urgently between the two of them. "I'm the one they want."

"Charlotte, listen to me!" Bellamy changed tactics, dropping his voice an octave so that it came out soft and soothing. He ran his fingers through her blonde hair, a simple but affectionate action that had tears swimming in the girl's eyes. "We won't leave you."

"Please, Bellamy…" Charlotte's eyes swam with unshed tears. She took a deep breath and then turned away from him, her voice breaking as she began to scream. "Murphy! Murphy, come quick, I'm over here!"

"Bellamy!" Melody's eyes grew wide when she caught sight of a bright orange flame glowing in the darkness, far too close for comfort. "They're close."

Bellamy slung Charlotte over his shoulder without missing a beat, and they began to run. The girl shrieked the whole time, not making it easy to disappear without a trace. That didn't stop them from trying to put as much distance between themselves and Murphy as possible. If there was even the slightest possibility that they could help her, Bellamy was bound and determined that they take it. And Melody followed without protest.

"Come on out, Charlotte! Come on out." Murphy's voice was loud. They were gaining. There wasn't a whole lot of time left before they would find them, and Charlotte wasn't helping to make things easier.

"Put me down!" Her shrieking grew louder and more desperate. She _wanted _him to find her, for whatever reason. It didn't make any sense, but it didn't matter. They had to do something to get her quiet. And soon.

"Charlotte, listen to me." Melody ran behind Bellamy, keeping pace easily although her chest heaved from the strain and her voice came out sounding winded. The two girls were face to face, with Charlotte bouncing on Bellamy's shoulder and Melody just barely being tall enough to look the smaller girl in the eye. "_M_e, Charlotte. Look at _me._ Not Bellamy. Bellamy doesn't understand."

"And you do?" Charlotte scowled, unconvinced. There was a desperate edge to her voice that rose goosebumps all along Melody's flesh. "I'm a killer, Melody! A killer. I deserve to die."

The words hit home and brought out the newfound fierceness in Melody, who knew all too well what was running through the little girl's mind. "No. Don't you ever say that! You hear me?" Something in her voice must have shown how serious she was, because Charlotte grew quiet. "_Everyone_deserves a fair chance. You're just a kid, you haven't even _begun_ to live. You do not deserve to die any more than I do."

The girl remained unconvinced. She was sniffling now, but she was no longer shouting, which seemed like a positive thing. At the very least it made it easier to think. Melody wished their troubles would have ended with convincing Charlotte that she deserved to live, but Murphy and his gang were approaching quickly. Soon they would be caught and overpowered, and then who knew what would happen? Murphy was unstable. He wanted vengeance. And Charlotte wasn't the only one of them who had wronged him.

Mel continued to run as fast as her long legs could carry her, up until Bellamy came to a stop. She stumbled forward a few steps, caught off guard, only to slam into his outstretched arm. Melody was confused as to why they were stopping when Murphy was trailing them so closely. She opened her mouth to protest, but then she realized what had happened. They'd run until they couldn't run anymore; they were standing on the edge of a cliff.

"Damn it." A defeated look ghosted across Bellamy's face. "Dead end."

Melody didn't have time to console Bellamy, nor would she have known what to say if there was time. Before they had a chance to re-route themselves, Murphy and his group were breaking through the small clearing of trees. Now face-to-face with the gang of murderous boys, Melody could feel the fear creeping along her spine. It didn't help that if she made one wrong move she would be falling hundreds of feet to her death.

"Bellamy! You can't fight all three of us." Murphy was smirking as he allowed his gaze to flicker between the two of them. Clearly, he didn't count Melody as competition. As if she would go down without a fight. "Give her up."

Bellamy's reply was so _him __that it almost succeeded in making Melody smile_. "Maybe not, but I guarantee I'll take a few of you with me." Confidence oozed from his every pore. He was already sizing up the group, no doubt forming a plan of attack in his mind. It was enough to make anyone hopeful.

"_We'll_take a few of you down." Amended Melody. She raised her chin slightly and squared her shoulders, staring Murphy dead in the face.

It was decided. Bellamy moved forward, putting himself between Charlotte and Murphy, his stance protective of the little girl. Melody didn't even have to think about repositioning herself before she was doing it, floating to his side while gripping her knife tightly in one hand. They were greatly outnumbered, but that didn't matter. Melody and Bellamy had one thing in common, if nothing else; their spirit.

They refused to be broken.

"Bellamy, stop!" They were preparing to face off when Clarke broke through the same group of trees that Murphy and his goons had just come through. Finn was hot on her heels, like always. They had really gotten themselves into trouble this time, and the moment Clarke realized just how bad it was, you could see the despair written on her face

"This has gone too far." Clarke looked between Bellamy and Murphy, who were both out in front, just a few feet separating them and their puffed out chests. "Just calm down and we'll talk about this." She urged, attention focused on Murphy. He was more dangerous than Bellamy any day of the week. Bellamy could be reasoned with, he could be rational, whereas Murphy was a loose cannon and no one knew what might set him off.

Murphy's sinister glare cut across each of them in turn, leaving no one unscathed. First Charlotte, then Bellamy, and finally it landed on Melody, where it lingered. Their gazes clashed and Melody could see her hatred reflected in Murphy's eyes. Any hopes she had of this turning out peaceful disappeared the moment she saw the truth hiding behind his eyes; he wanted them all dead.

Murphy grabbed for Clarke, yanking her roughly against his chest as he brought a knife to her throat. His glare finally fell upon the blonde, and he pressed the knife closer to her flesh. "I am _sick_ of listening to you talk."

"Let her go." Finn stepped forward. There was nothing he could do. He wasn't even armed, and even if he _was_, by the time he reached Clarke it would have been too late.

"Back off!" Murphy snarled, his grip on Clarke tightening visibly. "I will slit her throat."

None of them wanted to take the chance of calling his bluff.

"No please!" Charlotte sprung forward a step, her gaze flickering between Murphy's sharp knife and Clarke's exposed throat. Her blue eyes grew wide, glistening once more with unshed tears that she didn't let fall. "Don't hurt her."

Bellamy's hand was the only thing restraining Charlotte. Just a simple hand on her arm, keeping her anchored and from throwing herself into Murphy's waiting arms. The little girl was as unpredictable as they came. Melody didn't have a doubt in her mind that Charlotte would give herself up and not blink twice. For being a murderer, she was awfully _innocent._She was trying to protect them all, but she was putting herself in harm's way in order to do so.

"Don't hurt her?" Murphy pretended to ponder the request. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. You come with me right now and I'll let her go."

Melody didn't believe a word that came out of his slimy little mouth, and she had half a mind to tell him so. Murphy would say anything in that moment to get his hands on Charlotte. He wasn't going to stop until she was dead, no matter what he might say. No one else with half a brain put any stock in his promise. Charlotte, however, seemed to weigh the possibilities.

"Don't do it, Charlotte!" Clarke shook her head rapidly, eyes wide with fear.

The girl began to move forward. Bellamy barely managed to grab her in the nick of time, his arms wrapping around the girl's arm and tugging her backwards. She struggled against his grip and the two of them battled it out. Bellamy tried to convince her not to do anything stupid, but Charlotte resisted. They were just a little too close to the edge for Melody's liking. She watched them for a few moments with anxious eyes before backtracking and putting herself at the cliff's edge, sandwiching Charlotte between the two of them and eliminating her chances of escape.

"I have to!" The girl continued to fight Bellamy, nearly in hysterics.

Melody's eyes met Bellamy's over the top of Charlotte's head. They exchanged a brief look, and then Bellamy pushed the younger girl backwards and towards the safety of Melody's arms. Reaching out, Melody wrapped herself around the smaller girl and locked interlocked her arms, keeping Charlotte anchored at her side. She watched with fear in her heart as Bellamy moved forward in an attempt to reason with Murphy.

"Murphy, this is not happening." Bellamy used the authoritative voice that was reserved for when he was talking to one of _his_ people. Bellamy was still the leader and Murphy might be a bastard, he was still one of them and he still had to obey or face the consequences. Melody had a feeling that if blood was spilled by Murphy's hand, Bellamy would not be very forgiving.

"I can't let any of you get hurt anymore." Charlotte said softly. "Not because of me. Not after what I did."

She turned towards Melody then, eyes slipping shut as she leaned into the touch. It looked like she was going to bury her head in Melody's side, she was finally going to accept the comfort that Melody had been trying to give her all along. Things were going to be okay. In response, Mel slackened her grip some, giving Charlotte room to move closer. Charlotte took full advantage of that little lapse in judgement. Before Melody could even blink, the girl had ducked beneath her arm and was throwing herself off of the edge of the cliff.

"No!" Bellamy threw himself towards the edge.

Melody was already there, on her knees, watching as the small body made an equally small splash in the water below. There was no help for Charlotte; she would die on impact. The drop would be too much on her small body. In the end, Murphy had gotten what he wanted. They hadn't been able to save her.

Clarke's devastated voice reached Melody's ears and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. She couldn't hold herself together anymore. She drew in a ragged breath and began to sob, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she struggled to get in enough oxygen between convulsions. Seconds later, a pair of small, thin arms wrapped themselves around Melody's shoulders and pulled her back against a soft chest. She knew that it was Clarke, trying to console her. For some reason, Melody let her. Why not? A heart-wrenching cry rang out as Mel covered her eyes with her hands and tried to erase the images from her memory.

But, as she already knew, some memories stayed with your forever.

"Bellamy…"

Nothing could have stopped Bellamy from throwing himself at Murphy. The two of them went rolling across the forest floor. The sound of Bellamy's grunts rang out, as well as the sound of his fist colliding with what could have only been Murphy's face. Moments later, the sound of Murphy's low groans began to surface as well. Even if she could have, Melody wouldn't have tried to stop Bellamy from attacking Murphy. Because now, Murphy was getting the justice that he had been asking for.

Clarke, however, wasn't in the same frame of mind. She released Melody and darted back across the clearing, towards where the two men were struggling in the dirt. "Bellamy, stop!" Urged Clarke, her voice rising. "You'll kill him!"

"Good." Melody slowly climbed to her feet. Charlotte's death was fresh in her mind and even fresher in her heart. There was only one thing on her mind right now. It seemed to be the common theme of the night; _justice. __If this was the kind of justice that was going to be sought on Earth, then she was going to have a hand in delivering it, too. _

_If you can't beat them, join them._

Melody lunged for the both of them. If she happened to lash out at Bellamy, so be it. _An eye for an eye._That's how they did justice down here, right? Screw right and wrong. Screw good and bad. Melody was longing to feel Murphy's broken face beneath her fists. She wanted to know the warmth of his blood dripping from her fingertips. To see the light die from his eyes would have been a privilege. Rage had consumed her and there was no room left for sadness or mercy or anything else.

"Melody, no!" Clarke managed to grab Melody and pull her backwards, away from the fight.

Melody threw herself forward, clawing her way towards the action. Had it been anyone else, she wouldn't have hesitated before taking them out in an attempt to get to Murphy. The fury that now fueled her actions was unlike anything she had ever felt before. But Clarke wasn't just anybody. She was Melody's _friend_. So, Melody struggled and thrashed about as the both of them watched Finn tear Bellamy away from Murphy.

"Get off of me! He deserves to die!" Roared Bellamy, fighting to get back to Murphy.

Clarke released Melody and crossed the small clearing quickly, moving to stand in front of Murphy. The stance was almost protective, definitely defiant, and it angered both Melody and Bellamy. Their eyes met once more and the fury that Melody felt was reflected in Bellamy's darkened gaze. This was _personal._ Clarke and Finn may not realize the complete significance of what had just happened, but it was not lost on the two rebel warriors that had fought tooth and nail to protect that little girl.

Charlotte had been floated.

Just like Octavia could have been. Just like Melody could have been. And here she was, absolutely helpless once more. At the mercy of others, of people who didn't understand and who couldn't even begin to comprehend. _Just like it was on the Ark._ And once again, Melody had failed to defend a helpless, young girl. Just like she had failed to defend herself.

"We don't decide who lives and dies. Not down here." Clarke shouted. Her blue gaze flickered between both Melody and Bellamy. In her gaze, there was a silent plea. A plea for them to overcome their anger and their frustration, and to serve the justice that was actually deserved.

Wasn't this what Melody had been saying all along? Ever since that day in the dropship, when Murphy had tried to kill Jasper. No one deserved to have their life taken from them, or their fate decided for them. There would be justice. There would always be justice. But it didn't have to be the kind of justice that they'd always known. They could change things, down here. They could make things better.

_Would I have been able to live with myself if I'd helped to kill Murphy__?_

Melody thought long and hard, but ultimately she knew the answer to her question; no, she wouldn't have. Human life had to be respected, even if the world they'd been raised in had regarded it as insignificant. They had to be _better_ than those who came before them.

"So help me god, if you say the people have a right to decide…" Bellamy practically growled the words at Clarke, his hands clenched into fists by his sides.

"No, I was wrong before, okay? You were right. Sometimes it's dangerous to tell people the truth." Admitted Clarke. "But if we're gonna survive down here, we can't just live by whatever the hell we want. We need rules."

Bellamy ran a hand through his shaggy, dark hair and sighed audibly. The indecision was plain on his face. He was torn between doing what he really wanted to, and being the person that Clarke was asking him to be, the _better _person.

"And who makes those rules, huh? You?"

That didn't sound like a terrible idea. Clarke was intelligent and fair and would be a great leader, if not for the fact that she lacked influence. The people didn't listen to her, not if there was someone else that offered up a better argument. She needed someone by her side who was strong enough to rule by force or fear or persuasion or whatever. Someone who could reign in the delinquents if necessary. Someone like Bellamy.

Clarke's eyes lit up hopefully. "For now, we make the rules. Okay?"

Bellamy accepted this. Wasn't it what he'd wanted all along? To make the rules and lead the people? That should have made him happy, but there was still too much pent-up anger in his heart. "So, what, then? We just take him back and pretend like it never happened?" He shot a disgusted look towards Murphy, who was still laying on the forest floor. His face was bloody and swollen and he watched them with frightened eyes.

"No." She looked down at Murphy, and then her gaze found Melody. "We _banish_ him." Clarke suggested vehemently, looking to Melody in a way that almost made it seem as if she were asking for an opinion.

Apparently, this was now a democracy.

It was a better plan than just outright killing him, Melody had to admit. They didn't need that blood on their hands. They didn't need the guilt that would follow the kill. So, she gave Clarke a single, curt nod.

Bellamy grabbed Murphy by the front of his shirt and hauled the boy to his feet roughly, saying simply, "Get up."

Melody had conflicting emotions. She wanted nothing more than for Murphy to suffer for what he had inadvertly caused. She wanted Charlotte's death to be avenged and she wanted everyone to know that justice had been served. And yet, at the same time, she couldn't stomach seeing another person -even one as horrible as Murphy- die tonight. Each life down here _was __precious__, __and they weren't theirs to take._

"Bellamy, stop!" Clarke watched in horror as Bellamy veered off course and dragged Murphy towards the edge of the cliff. The same edge where a little girl had taken her final breaths just minutes prior.

"Bellamy." Melody's voice was quiet, but it caught his attention. Their gazes met for the dozenth time that night, brown and green, fire and ice. Mel gave the subtlest shake of her head, steely eyes conveying the message that she couldn't bring herself to say aloud; _he's not worth it._

Bellamy spent a few moments weighing his options, before giving Murphy a rough shake and pushing him to the very brink of oblivion. "If I ever catch you near camp, we'll be back here. Understand?"

Murphy nodded weakly in response to the words, but he was either too weak or too scared to do much else. Bellamy shoved him aside and the boy fell to the ground, landing in a crumpled heap. The sound of his ragged breathing filled the air, as if he were choking back sobs. Melody forced herself to look away from him and towards Bellamy. She would _not_ let herself feel bad. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

"As for the four of you," Bellamy addressed the group that had been following Murphy. The ones who had been so blood-thirsty, but now looked like they were shaking in their boots. That's what happened when bullies got confronted. "You can come back and follow me or go off with him to die. Your choice."

Bellamy had spoken his piece, and was done with it. He began to walk away from them all, but after a moment he stopped and turned back to Melody with raised eyebrows. She nodded her head slightly and began to follow after him. The curious look that Finn gave her was not lost on Melody. She desperately wanted to tell him that she couldn't stay. That she couldn't look at Murphy for one more second without feeling the familiar guilt as what she had been about to do truly sunk in…but all she managed to do was give him a weak smile.

They walked back to camp in silence. Neither of them felt like making idle chitchat, not after what had just happened. The silence was not uncomfortable, however. Not on _either_ side. There was a newfound connection between the two of them that Melody didn't quite understand yet. They were not friends, but they were not enemies…they were allies. Comrades. Skating on a very thin line, but they still stood united.

And for now, that was enough.

|oOo|

"Will we be able to talk to them?" Clarke's question echoed the thoughts of everyone in the room.

They watched on anxiously as Monty put the finishing touches on his project. He'd been working for days on what looked like a mess of metal, wires, and wristbands. When Melody had poked the mass of junk and voiced her opinion out loud, Monty had informed her that it was _exactly_ a mess of metal, wires, and wristbands, but it was also a complex system that she should refrain from touching.

Monty had sass.

"No. More like Morse code." He touched the tip of a screwdriver to the wristband for the last time. It was done. "You want to do the honors?" Monty reached into the mess of techy junk and offered Jasper one of the wires.

The two exchanged grins, and then Monty began to talk Jasper through the procedure. "That port right there." He said, pointing to a spot on the wristband that looked vaguely like an outlet.

They watched in expectation, waiting for something to happen. _Anything._ Maybe a voice or a signal of some sort. Even just for the wristband to turn back on, for the little flashing light to power back up begin transmitting. Anything to let them know that they'd made the connection and had reached the Ark.

What they got in response was less than reassuring. Jasper connected the wire to the port, but the moment contact was made the wire emitted a large spark. In a cloud of smoke, all of Monty's hard work was gone and they were back to square one.

Clarke was the first one to question it. "What happened?"

"Didn't work." Monty said simply, a pained expression crossing his face. "I think…I think we fried all of the wristbands."

Melody didn't speak engineer. However, no one needed to explain anything to her. Monty's work had been destroyed and now all of the wristbands were non-operational. Without working wristbands, Monty had no technology…

In other words, they had officially lost all hope.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

For the first night since they'd arrived on Earth, things were quiet around the camp.

An almost peaceful feeling had settled over camp following the aftermath of Bellamy and Clarke's declaration that they would now be co-leading. Everyone seemed to feel a little bit better now that they had a solid foundation of a society. No one objected to their two leaders deciding to band together. In fact, they seemed to embrace it. Murphy's banishment had been accepted by all of the delinquents, but Charlotte's death unnerved them. Melody supposed that was why everyone had decided to take it easy that night.

There were several fires lit throughout camp, and the majority of them were surrounded by small groups of friends. Some people talked quietly and laughed amongst themselves, but mostly they just enjoyed what was left of the night. Despite all that had happened over the last twenty-four hours, there seemed to be a lightness among the spirits of the campers. The moon was bright, the stars were out, and the wall was finally completed. Murphy was gone and he wouldn't be coming back.

They could all rest easy tonight.

Almost all of them, anyways.

Melody succeeded in finding a fire that had been abandoned by campers who were long-since retired for the night. When she happened upon it, the fire was little more than a pile of glowing, orange embers. Melody bent beside the pile of firewood and made herself busy as she cupped her hands around the small flame and urged it back to life. After a few failed attempts the fire began to build itself back up, radiating a warmth that enveloped her lovingly.

She eased herself to the ground and sat as close to the fire as possible without the risk of being roasted alive. Despite the heat seeping into her skin, Melody felt so cold inside. Over and over again the images of Charlotte jumping from the cliff played in her mind. It filled Melody with a deep sense of sadness as she thought about the young girl that could have been such an important attribute to their society.

_Eight down, ninety-two to go._

The sound of heavy footsteps approaching caused Melody to tense slightly. She wasn't in the mood for company; it was why she had distanced herself from the group. It was why she had distanced herself from _everyone._ Melody couldn't stand to sit in the dropship and listen as Octavia babied Jasper about frying the freaking wristbands and Monty whined about losing all of his work. As if they didn't have _bigger_problems right now.

"I'm not in the mood." Melody barked out at whoever was approaching. She figured that whoever it was, friend or foe, would have enough common sense to turn around and leave her alone. And if they didn't, then that was on them.

Melody kept her eyes trained on the fire as the footsteps continued to bring the mystery person closer and closer. The sound of gentle breathing could soon be heard. It was soft and even, as if the person had not a care in the world. There seemed to be slight hesitation in whether or not they should approach, but eventually Melody felt the presence of someone sitting down next to her, just a few feet away.

She was completely prepared to lash out at whoever it was, but before she had the chance to do so Melody heard a soft, gravelly voice in her ear and immediately all traces of anger seemed to fade away, into the background.

"You alright, sweetheart?" Asked Bellamy.

He had lowered himself to the ground beside her and was currently trying to warm his hands by her fire. Bellamy's presence seemed to be doing funny things to Melody as of late. It felt so natural for Melody to feed off of his anger when they were fighting; she had always seemed to do that. But now things were starting to change between them. When Bellamy used his soft, kind voice and looked at her with that _damned_ concerned look in his eyes she felt as if they were almost…_friends._She almost felt like she could let down her guard.

Depending on the situation, he either fueled the flame inside of her or extinguished it completely.

"I'm fine." Melody's voice was short and clipped. She didn't allow her her gaze to stray from the blazing fire that raged in front of her. She focused on the flickering flames as if her life depended on them.

Bellamy scoffed. Once again, he seemed to have the ability to see right through her. "You're grieving."

"I'm grieving?" Her eyes snapped towards him. A newfound ferocity blazed within their mossy green depths. How _dare_ he try and put such a mundane label on her feelings. "And you know this how?"

Bellamy was surprised by the sudden shift in Melody. He had noticed that she almost seemed to bounce between multiple personalities. There was the friendly and inviting side of Melody that he was so rarely blessed with and then there was the guarded, defensive side of her that seemed to come out of hiding whenever he was around. It was as if she were afraid of letting him anywhere near the inner workings of her mind. Not that Bellamy blamed her, of course; he kept a tight wrap on his private thoughts, too.

"I know because I'm grieving, too." Bellamy said simply, lifting his shoulders slightly in a shrugging motion.

A laugh rang out in the air between the two of them, but it was filled with no humor. "You're not grieving like I am, Bellamy. You're not the one with Charlotte's death on your conscience."

"I'm not?" Bellamy glared down at her. "I failed to protect her, Melody. I _promised_ I wouldn't let anything happen to her. And now she's dead."

It hadn't occurred to Melody that the male might have a guilty conscious of his own. She'd been so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she hadn't even considered how Charlotte's death might be affecting the rest of them. Now that she thought about it, Bellamy had made it his mission to protect Charlotte from Murphy at all costs. Even when they'd been backed onto the cliff, he had been willing to fight to the death just so the girl might have a slim chance of escaping. There had to be some regret, but Melody wasn't convinced that he felt even an _inkling_ of the guilt that now consumed her mind, body, and soul.

"I _let go_, Bellamy!" Melody began to shout, unable to hide the nearly hysterical edge that had crept into her voice. Her eyes swam with tears, her chest felt tight. It was as if she were reliving the moment over again, still helpless and unable to change the outcome. "I had a hold of her. My arm was draped over her shoulders and I was holding her _so close_that our bodies were practically one. And then…I let go." The last three words were barely more than a whisper in the wind, they seemed to slip from the fingertips that Melody used to demonstrate how she'd just let go of Charlotte.

Melody leaned forward until she was resting her brow against her bent knees. Dainty arms wrapped protectively around her head, entirely hiding Melody's devastated expression from Bellamy's view. Mel had the strongest urge to bury her face in the safety of her arms and cry until she had no more tears left to shed. But she knew that it would accomplish absolutely nothing. If anything, it would just make her look weak.

"You can't blame yourself for this, Melody." Bellamy said firmly.

_Oh yes I can._

"It's all my fault." Was Melody's muffled reply.

She could feel something in the air shift, but she didn't bother to raise her head from the safety of her folded arms. Moments later, Bellamy's arm was wrapped around her shoulders and he was pulling her close. The weight of his arm draped across her back was a bit awkward, entirely unfamiliar, and they both tensed at the sudden proximity between them. Yet somehow, the gesture was oddly comforting.

"No it isn't. I don't think it's either one of our faults." Bellamy shook his head slightly. "I think that no matter what we did, Charlotte was determined to die."

The thought made Melody's stomach churn. She remembered the last words that Charlotte had spoken. _I can't let any of you get hurt anymore. Not because of me. Not after what I did._ And it occurred to Melody then that Charlotte might have _actually wanted_ to die. Perhaps the guilt had eaten away at her until she thought that death was the only solution. Maybe Charlotte's demons haunted her nightmares just as Melody's did. But Melody could have taught Charlotte how to move forward. She could have taught her how to _cope__. __She could have __saved her__. _

"It was probably the guilt." Melody raised her head, but kept her knees pressed tightly to her chest. She felt as if she were physically holding herself together and one false movement would send her unraveling.

"The guilt over killing Wells or letting Murphy almost get hanged?" Bellamy looked down at her with a wry smile.

Melody burst out laughing, the sound shaky and slightly frantic. She knew that it was the most inappropriate time to be laughing, but she couldn't help herself. There was just something about the almost ironic way that Bellamy had said the words. The laughter had been short, but it relieved some of the weight that was bearing down on her chest. It was either laugh or cry, and Melody didn't want to do the latter.

"Killing Wells." Melody replied, although the question had most likely been rhetorical. Her voice was soft and thoughtful, filled with understanding. "It's a guilt that doesn't just go away." The words hung in the air between them as Melody once again over-shared her thoughts and said something that she hadn't intended to say.

Bellamy was silent, thinking her words over. The silence didn't bother either one of them. When he finally did speak again, his voice was thoughtful and curious, but also strangely hollow. "Does it ever go away?"

Melody was surprised by the shameful gleam that she saw in his eyes. Shame looked so out of place in those dark, smoldering brown eyes. Once again Melody had the feeling that Bellamy was hiding something; something big. And yet she couldn't bring herself to just ask him outright, because it wasn't her place to do so.

"No." Melody shook her head and gave him a sad little smile. "You can bury it. You can ignore it. But it doesn't go away." She shrugged. She had long ago come to terms with the guilt, she was no longer bothered by the fact that it couldn't be erased. "Even if you come to peace with everything, the guilt never really goes away. It just fades."

He didn't respond to Melody's words, but that didn't surprise her. She had found that when they were talking like this, on those rare occasions when it was just the two of them, Bellamy didn't always feel the need to voice his opinion. He didn't really have to, because Melody was just as comfortable with silence as she was with talking. Maybe even more so.

The silence that settled over them was calming. The pain in Melody's chest lessened slightly with every passing minute although it didn't go away. She doubted it would _ever_ go away, but having someone who shared her pain by her side had begun the healing process. Her newfound friendship -or whatever it was- with Bellamy was unexpected to say the least. But not even Melody could deny that they had some sort of connection. It wasn't what she felt with her other friends - she felt something deeper than just friendship with Clarke, Finn, Monty, Jasper, and even Octavia- but it was definitely something.

"Hey Bellamy…" Melody turned her head to look at him, but she was surprised to find that there was no one there. What the hell? She suspected that he had been gone for a while now and she just hadn't realized it. When had minutes begun to turn into hours? She had been far too wrapped up in her own thoughts to pay much attention to him, anyways.

Mel didn't know whether she should be relieved that she got what she had originally wanted -solitude- or if she should be upset that Bellamy had left her alone to grieve by herself. Whenever he was around, it didn't hurt so badly. It was as if he shouldered some of her pain. Alone, Melody didn't know if she could handle all of the guilt. It felt to her like no one else _understood._ Not the way Bellamy did.

Melody didn't like the fact that she felt so dependent on the boy all of a sudden. If there was anything Melody prided herself on -aside from badassedness- it was her independence. She liked being able to handle shit on her own. Relying on other people was not a good habit to develop; she knew from experience.

But when it came to Bellamy Blake, nothing about their relationship was very _rational._

Melody didn't know when she had begun to let Bellamy in. Perhaps it was that night in his tent, after she had gotten into the fight with Murphy; the night she had kept him from killing Jasper. Bellamy had revealed that he had known about her crimes all along. In return, Melody had called that painful afternoon so many years ago when she had murdered the man that was as good as her father. Her savior, her father, her abuser, her destroyer, her _victim_; Jason Evans had been many things to Melody. And the memories that Bellamy's words had inspired left Melody feeling vulnerable and panicked.

That's when she realized it; when she could pinpoint the exact moment she had begun to let her guard down.

_"Bellamy…" Melody trailed off, not knowing what to say. Every instinct told her to get on her knees and beg him not to tell anyone. But Melody was not the begging type. She never had been and never would be. Not if she could help it._

_"I won't tell anyone, Melody." Bellamy said suddenly, surprising her. "We all have our secrets, don't we?"_

That was the moment Melody realized that while Bellamy may have been a "power hungry, self-serving jackass," he was still a person. Up until that moment she had been judging him rather harshly, based off of the way he so easily manipulated people and how he was so willing to make the hard decisions. She had thought of him as cold and heartless and possibly even robotic. But in that moment, when he had offered to keep her secret for no reason other than common decency, Melody truly began to realize that there might be something more buried beneath the surface.

Now, Melody wasn't saying that Bellamy was anywhere close to being included in "_us._" Their small group was a very fragile thing; there wasn't a lot of room for new additions. Clarke and Finn had already covered the roles of responsibility. Monty was the brains of the group and Jasper was the comedian. Octavia was the rebel. And then there was Melody, who was their protector. Bellamy had no place amongst them; he had no _purpose._

But maybe one day.

Melody sat thinking for a long, long time. She'd spent four years just _thinking_. Thinking about her mother, whom they never let visit, and wondering she was managing by herself in the Factory Station. Thinking about Jason. Thinking about what he did. Thinking about herself. About how much she had lost and in return, how much she had changed. Four solid years of thinking -of _dwelling_\- and she managed to keep hold of her sanity.

Melody found that she liked thinking on Earth. The memories down here were traumatic, but they were strangely beautiful. She liked to think about that very first day in the dropship. The day that she had first met Jasper and Monty. She liked to recall the energetic and optimistic vibe -the one that had long ago vanished- that Jasper had been giving off. She liked to remember the brush of his fingers against hers as they spiraled out of control, falling into the Earth's atmosphere. And she fondly recalled his laughter as he spun her around and around as they took their first steps on Earth.

They had persevered.

She also liked to remember the long days they'd spent on their journey to Mount Weather. Melody found that she could think about that time period and smile because that had been the true beginning of "_us_." They hadn't known each other then, but it hadn't mattered. There had always been that underlying sense of loyalty and protectiveness. That was proven when Jasper had dove into the lake after Octavia. It was proven again when the boys had insisted Melody sleep between the two of them, so she would be safe. And it was proven for a third time when Jasper had gotten speared and they had done everything in their power to bring him home.

They had persevered.

Even now, with Charlotte's death just barely behind them, Melody was able to think about it and begin to heal. She recalled the time that she had spent in the woods, searching for Charlotte with Bellamy. And it warmed her heart to think about how Bellamy had been so eager to risk his life for the young girl. Not to mention the fact that Charlotte's death had caused Murphy's banishment. It was horrible that the young girl's life had to be lost in order to bring everyone together. Melody and Bellamy as friends, Bellamy and Clarke as co-leaders, and the 100 as a unit. Life had been lost, but a society had been created.

They had persevered.

Melody sat thinking about this for a long time. She was so beyond proud at how well their little group adapted and accepted everything that was thrown their way. They worked together, not only to get things done, but because here they were all one another had. And she knew why they were able to suffer such hardships and persevere, of course; _they were Apache. _

Melody spent well over an hour just sitting by the fire and thinking. Thinking about things on Earth and things on the Ark, and how much change they'd all endured. They finally felt like a _unit_, like a group of cogs in a machine that were working together rather than against one another for the first time. They weren't Bellamy's followers being pitted against Clarke's followers; they were just the 100.

She either didn't notice that most of the other campers had begun to retire or she didn't care. Mel was content to sit by herself and watch the fire slowly burn out until there was nothing left of it except for the ashes. The flame had died down considerably when Melody heard the soft and light footsteps approaching her at a rapid pace.

She didn't have to turn around to know that it was Octavia who had joined her. She was getting better at noting the things that made her friends themselves. Like the sounds of their footsteps, or the patterns of their breathing, or their strange habits.

"Make a wish."

Melody looked up in confusion, but saw that Octavia's eyes were not on her. Instead, they were fixated on some point in the sky. Her eyes slowly swung in the general direction of the girl's gaze and Melody was surprised to see what looked like a shooting star. It was the first one she had ever seen; it was probably the first one anyone had ever seen. And it was beautiful.

"Wow." Mel watched the small, rapidly moving meteor burn as it passed through the earth's atmosphere, leaving a fiery trail in its wake. "We're supposed to wish on it?" Melody questioned, giving Octavia a confused look.

Octavia nodded her head, briefly tearing her gaze away from the star so that she could look down at Melody while she spoke. "If you wish on a shooting star your wish is supposed to come true."

"Oh. Alright. Well, I wish for-" Melody was cut off mid-sentence by warm hand pressed against her mouth. She looked up at O with her brows knitted together, not knowing what she had done wrong.

"You don't say it _out loud._" Octavia rolled her eyes. Apparently that was common knowledge, as if people wished on stars every day. "You think it. Otherwise the wish won't come true."

"Fine then." Melody pushed the hand away from her mouth and turned her attention back towards the shooting star. As if _that _made any sense. "I'll just…wait." Eyes widening, Melody scrambled to her feet. She leaned up on her tiptoes, as if that would somehow get her closer, and studied the flaming ball of space matter. Only it wasn't space _matter_…it was a space _ship._

"Bellamy, get out here!" Octavia called excitedly, a grin lighting up her face. The two girls stood there, staring up at the ship in delighted wonder. "Holy shit, Mels! Can you believe it?" Octavia reached out and grabbed Melody's hand, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze.

"I can't." Replied Melody. And she couldn't.

Bellamy came hurrying towards the two of them to see what all of the fuss was about, his footsteps loud and heavy, and his voice low as he murmured something about '_scared the hell out of me_.' Melody turned with excited eyes to tell him what they were seeing, but the words somehow got caught in her throat. Bellamy was approaching them quickly, shirtless and buttoning his pants as he walked. Two girls, a blonde and a brunette, sauntered out of the tent behind him, wrapped in nothing but blankets.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what had been going down in his tent.

"What is it?" He words were for Octavia, but he had eyes only for Melody.

She turned away from him and continued to watch the ship's rapid approach. That was _much _more interesting, and it brought good feelings rather than sick ones. A parachute deployed from the back of the ship and it began to slow, but not enough. Melody also noticed how small the ship was. It couldn't have carried more than a handful of people at _best._ Guards, maybe? Supplies? She couldn't be sure.

An excited voice called out from across the camp. "It's an exodus ship!"

"They're coming to help us!" Another cheered.

"Now we can kick some grounder ass!"

People began to gather in the middle of camp, all of them trying to get a better look at the ship. They were hopeful and excited about what this might mean, most of them whooping and hollering, but Melody couldn't bring herself to join in with the celebrating. She had the strangest feeling in the pit of her gut, which was nagging at her. Shouldn't the entire population be coming down to earth before they all died from oxygen deprivation? If so, why was there only one ship? And why did it look so unstable?

"Please tell me they brought down some shampoo." One of the girls -the one with dark hair- said hopefully, pulling the edges of a blanket closer around her otherwise bare body.

"All the shampoo in the world couldn't wash away your sins, honey." The vicious words were out of Melody's mouth before she could think to stop them. Even if she had, she probably wouldn't have.

The hostility came out of nowhere. Melody couldn't explain the anger that was suddenly radiating off of her in vicious waves. This newfound fury completely consumed her; mind, body, and soul. Her once serene aura shifted, darkening until Melody felt as angry and raw and confrontational as she had upon her return to camp. It wasn't as if the girl had done anything to offend Mel. It had nothing to do with what she had done; it was _who_ she had done.

"Excuse me?" The brunette girl -whose name was Amy or Annie or something of that nature- raised her eyebrows at Melody and crossed her arms over her chest defensively.

"I didn't stutter." The words came out as little more than a low growl. Her dark green eyes were alit with that familiar fire as she studied first this _Amy_ and then her blonde companion, both of whom seemed bewildered and offended by the sudden attack. Melody's expression conveyed disgust and annoyance, and she did nothing to try and mask it. "There are _kids_ in this camp. Have a bit of class."

Surprise lit up the brunette's face and she pulled the blanket tighter around herself. She looked as if she wanted nothing more than to escape into it. Regret flickered through Melody, but only for a moment before she was once again feeling justified in her actions. Her words had been a bit harsh, yes, but they had gotten the message across. There _were_some children in the camp although the majority of them were in their later teens. A few of the delinquents, however, were probably as young as Charlotte had been.

Not that it really mattered, because that wasn't the real reason for Melody's frustration.

Embarrassed or ashamed, _Amy_ scrambled away, presumably to find something decent to cover her assets. Melody felt a flicker of satisfaction at that.

"You don't run things around here, _bitch._" The blonde girl wasn't as passive as her friend had been. With her straw-colored head held high, she slithered towards Melody like the slimy little snake that she was, claws -or rather, fangs- out.

The crowd began to whisper. Surprised and worried murmurs filled the air around the two girls as everyone prepared for yet another show. Some of the delinquents had watched Melody's little fight with Murphy go down. Others had seen her merciless assault of the boy who had messed with Jasper. They could _all_ still see the yellow-ish bruise that lingered on her cheekbone from when Bellamy had accidentally lashed out on her when she'd tried to break up a fight. Word had gotten out about the brutal little redhead that was handing people their asses left and right. And people were beginning to take bets on the fight.

"You know, screwing the King doesn't make you a queen." Melody gave the blonde a dismissive once-over. "It just makes you a _slut._"

Only a few feet separated Melody and the blonde female who, to no one's surprise, looked a bit nervous now that Melody had played into her game. She kept herself just barely out of reach, but Melody was quick. She could close the distance between the two of them in just a matter of moments. Apparently she wasn't the only one that realized that, because Bellamy was soon putting himself between the two of the girls, his body turned slightly in Melody's direction as he gave her that _look_.

It wasn't going to work this time. Bellamy Blake could stand there in all of his shirtless glory and give her that kind look, but it was not going to work like it had in the past. His gentle eyes did nothing to calm her down; in fact, they only infuriated her further. It dawned on Melody that everything had been an _act._ He had figured out how to manipulate her and used it to his advantage. And now he was trying to do it again.

"Keep that damn look to yourself, Blake." Snapped out Melody, giving him a look of disdain. She was in no mood to play games. Not tonight, not when she was a whirlwind of emotions and feeling less than in-control of herself. "I feel no remorse."

"Are you just gonna let her talk to us like that, Bel?" The blonde whimpered and looked up at Bellamy with big, blue eyes. Puppy dog eyes. Disgusting.

"Shhh." Cooed Bellamy with quickly-fading patience.

The girl went to move towards him, but Bellamy held his hand out to stop her from getting too close. His eyes remained locked on Melody's, a silent battle. That familiar angry gleam lit up two pools of dark brown, setting them ablaze. Melody's sharp tongue had the two of them falling back into the same old patterns.

"Watch your mouth, Melody." He stared her down, trying to intimidate her, but it wasn't going to work. When did it ever? It would take a lot more than a Bellamy Blake stare down to unnerve her. "Brittany, come here." Two fingers beckoned the girl forward and she practically ran in order to eagerly curl up against Bellamy's side.

Octavia was laughing quietly to herself as she stood at Melody's side, watching the whole thing go down with a grin. Everyone was used to Bellamy's endless parade of girls. The majority of the girls in camp were just dying to get spend a night in his bed. As if that would somehow make them important. As if it would give them even an inkling of power. These two meant nothing to him; they were just a couple of warm bodies. Just like the rest of them.

"_Brittany_is the one who picked a fight with me." Melody couldn't stop herself from gritting her teeth as she glared at the two of them. For once, she hadn't even started things. At least not directly. And yet somehow, she still got the blame.

"You were being a bitch." The blonde scowled at Melody. "To Annie."

_So it__was____Annie!_

"You're about one step away from seeing how big of a bitch I am." Melody took a single, threatening step forward. She was both delighted and appalled when the girl looked at her uncertainly and clung tighter to Bellamy, practically wrapping herself around him.

"You wouldn't dare."

Melody laughed shortly, the sound void of humor. Wouldn't she, though? Dare to prove herself, that is. "I don't think you know who you're talking to, honey."

Bellamy decided then that it was time to intervene, before things got too heated. And like expected, he was siding with his bed warmers. "Your comments aren't necessary, Melody." Bellamy scowled at her and crossed his arms over his chest. "I think you should apologize."

Mel crossed her arms over her chest as she debated what she should do in this situation. For a few moments her gaze locked onto Bellamy's and they stared at each other evenly. The thing Bellamy didn't realize was that Melody didn't apologize on someone else's terms. She barely even apologized on her own terms. Melody didn't want to back down, but she also didn't quite feel up to challenging Bellamy's authority today.

"Yes, _your majesty._" Melody made a big show of swooping down low to curtsy at his feet. When she straightened once more, Melody didn't even look at the blonde. She had eyes only for Bellamy. "I am _truly _sorry that you don't keep better company."

Apparently the apology wasn't good enough for him or his friend, but it was good enough for the rest of them. Melody found herself smirking at the laughter that suddenly erupted among the group. It wasn't loud or obnoxious; it was rather quiet and contained. No one wanted to be on the bad side of Bellamy, after all. And if looks could kill…

"Melody." Bellamy's voice was an angry, warning growl.

Melody made it a point to sigh loudly and cross her arms over her chest. She sent scowls in their direction. "I am truly sorry I offended your harlot." Melody began again. "But next time you won't be there to protect her when she runs her mouth." The underlying threat in her voice was hard to miss. "And I won't be so forgiving."

"You bitch!" The blonde lunged for her.

Melody reached out and shoved the girl, Brittany, away. She had no desire to get into a full-blown fight right in the middle of camp. She was angry, yes, but she was more annoyed and frustrated than anything else. What would fighting do, other than make her feel good for a few minutes? Besides, she didn't even want to touch that body with a ten-foot pole. The girl staggered back a few steps, lost her footing and fell to the ground. Laughter erupted once more as the blonde attempted to clutch the blanket to her exposed body.

Melody had won without even lifting a finger.

The sigh of the girl laying there, desperately trying to claw at whatever shred of dignity she had left, rubbed Melody the wrong way and quickly evaporated the ill-feelings. Her stomach rolled, sending waves of nausea through her body. The sight was all too familiar. She, too, had once been left naked and exposed and faced by nothing but laughter and jest.

_See you for dinner. _

Melody quickly approached the girl once more, this time intent on helping rather than hurting. She reached out to grab Brittany's hand, but before she could make contact an all _too_ familiar hand wrapped around her wrist.

"Let go of me, Bellamy." She pulled away from him, hating the feeling of his skin against her. She knew where that skin had been. "I'm just trying to help her."

"Brittany, you've caused enough trouble for tonight." He snapped the words at the blonde, but still offered his hand to help her up. The girl was looking at Melody confusedly -most likely in regards to the comment about helping her- as she accepted the offered hand and climbed to her feet, still clutching the blanket. "Apologize."

"I'm sorry I called you a bitch." She muttered, somewhat reluctantly as she looked down at her feet. Unlike Melody, she was too afraid to defy Bellamy, and so she succumbed to his request for an apology. The blonde didn't linger for long. She turned and took off towards the tent that her friend had disappeared into minutes before.

"Uh…" Melody watched the girl's retreating figure. "Thanks?"

"Alright, show's over." Bellamy announced loudly, much to the disappointment of the onlookers, who had been hoping for some action. "Lights out, people."

As quickly as it had begun, the altercation was over.

Melody didn't drag her feet as Bellamy led her back to his tent. She knew it would only make her look like even more of a petulant child. Instead, she gritted her teeth and followed after Bellamy as slowly as she could manage. It was humiliating to be treated like such a child _all the time._ To her surprise and relief, no one was laughing. The few who remained just watched with mild interest. The majority of them had gone back to their lives, though, because the show was over.

The tent was becoming familiar. Bellamy zipped the tent flap behind them in the same angry, jerky manner that she'd grown accustomed to. Melody leaned back against his hand-made table and looked at him with a rather droll expression on her face. All she wanted to do was get this lecture over with, so she could turn in for the night and try to have dreams that didn't involve Charlotte's death on a constant loop.

"Why am I here, Blake?" Melody demanded, pretending to look at an imaginary watch on her wrist, as if she didn't have time for this shit. And she didn't. Not tonight.

"You can't just go around being an asshole all the time." Bellamy crossed his arms tightly over his chest and looked down at Melody.

"Oh, _I'm sorry._" S he scowled and mimicked his actions, crossing her arms over her chest in a stance that was so very much _hers, _not his. "Forgive me for thinking that people should act appropriate."

"Annie did nothing to you. You could have just left her alone and went on with your night." Bellamy was having a hard time masking his frustration, which was most likely a result of always having to scold Melody.

"You mean I could have left her alone and _you_ could have gotten on with _your_ night." Melody corrected, raising her eyebrows in a way that clearly said she thought she knew what she was talking about, so there was no point in trying to deny it.

"Damn it, Melody!" He ran both hands through his dark hair, making it stand on end. "Why are you always trying to piss people off? I get that you were trying to protect Jasper when you fought with Murphy. And then again with that kid beyond the wall. But Annie didn't do _shit__ to you, or to anyone else for that matter._"

"I don't try to piss people off, Bellamy. _They_piss _me_ off."

Bellamy ran a hand over his face in exasperation. He was on the verge of snapping when suddenly a new light entered his eyes. It was mischievous and daring, totally unlike anything that Melody had ever seen reflected in those dark brown depths, and it did funny things to her breathing pattern.

"Melody…are you _jealous_?"

"_What? No!" Her eyes grew wide as she stared up at him, denying his accusation just a little too quickly. _"Why would I be jealous of those _sluts_?"

Had he gone mad?

"I don't know. Maybe you're into me." Bellamy suggested offhandedly, as if it was the furthest thing from his mind. His words were accompanied by the damned little lazy half-shrug, which never failed to irritate the living hell out of Melody.

"Get _over_ yourself, Bellamy. I'm not pissed off at those girls. I'm pissed at you and they're just guilty by association."

That much was true. Annie and Brittany were not the source of Melody's anger. They had just been unlucky enough to have presented her with an opportunity to take it out on them. Melody's real source of anger was staring down at her with a confused look in his eyes.

"_Me_?" Bellamy now wore an exasperated look on his face. "Sweetheart, I didn't do shit to piss you off. Last I knew, we were on good terms."

"Oh, you mean _five minutes_ before you were all over those girls?" She narrowed her green eyes accusingly and raised he chin slightly; a sure sign that she was pissed off and not willing to back down.

"What the hell does that have to do with anything?" Demanded Bellamy. "It's not like I was getting anywhere with you."

Melody's eyes widened first in surprise, and then narrowed into a glare as the meaning behind his words fully registered. She didn't find his comment to be funny in the slightest. The two of them had been having a moment, that was true, but it was innocent. And now, Melody realized that it was all a sham. He had obviously not been as affected by Charlotte's death as he let on. Otherwise, he wouldn't have gone straight from grieving to grinding.

"So that's it, huh?" There was a defeated sort of edge to Melody's voice, but she quickly covered it up with disgust. "You were pretending to grieve over Charlotte to 'get somewhere' with me?"

"That was a _joke_, Melody."

"Answer the damn question."

"No!" Bellamy threw his hands in the air, causing Melody to lean back slightly. "Not everyone bottles their feelings up inside, Melody. Some people take action."

The words puzzled Melody. _Not everyone bottles their feelings up inside._She did. Why couldn't he? _Some people take action._Take action…it was then that the meaning of his words dawned on her.

"Are you saying that you used those girls to forget about Charlotte?" Melody didn't know if she was more horrified with him, for doing something so low and appalling, or at herself for making it into such a big spectacle.

"Time wasted, now." The shameful gleam returned to his eyes, the same one that she'd seen when they'd been talking about Charlotte earlier. Now that his momentary distraction had been forgotten, the weight of the world came crashing down once more.

Well, wasn't this just twisted?

"You're a pig!" Without thinking, Melody lashed out and slapped her hand against Bellamy's bare chest. The sound of the slap echoed throughout the tent, hanging in the air between them.

He looked down in surprise at the small hand resting right on top of his heart. Melody hadn't slapped him _hard__, but _Bellamy's eyes still darkened and he reached down to grab her hand. With one sharp tug, Melody was pressed flush against his chest. Close enough to feel the warmth of his body. To feel his heart beating just beneath the skin. Their eyes met and hers held a playful gleam, but his was more predatory than anything.

"I'm a _man_." Bellamy spoke slowly, making sure that the full weight of his words was recognized. And for the first time, it was. "It sort of comes with the territory."

Melody rolled her eyes and went to step back, the proximity becoming too much. Bellamy's other hand came down and clutched at the small of her back, holding her flush against him. She felt a twinge of panic, until she caught sight of the huge grin on his face. Confused, Melody scowled up at him and shifted away. Bellamy made no move to let her go, obviously pleased by his ability to easily manhandle the much smaller girl. _That_was no surprise. He'd been doing it ever since she had met him; literally.

"Bellamy, let go."

"Make me." He grinned impishly.

"Are you kidding right now? I am pissed at you and in no mood to play games." Melody spoke in the most serious voice that she could manage, but the truth of the matter was quite the opposite, actually. She enjoyed this new, playful side of Bellamy. It was oddly…thrilling. She wanted to see more of it, but at the same time she was taken off guard and unsure of how to react.

"Then stop being pissed." He shrugged that lazy half-shrug again. "Most women like being this close to me."

Melody realized then just how close to him she really was. Close enough, in fact, to feel the heat radiating off of his body seep through her clothing. It was warm…really warm. And he smelled good, too. Melody didn't know _how_considering they didn't even have soap down here. But he did smell good; like leather and grass. She _really_ liked grass…

Wait, what was she thinking? Once again Bellamy was able to easily manipulate her. He had been trying to trick her into forgetting about all of the shit that had went down tonight. About their heart-to-heart, the little confrontation with Brittany, and the fact that he had run straight into the arms of those two girls after he and Melody had finished talking. For some reason, that last one pissed her off the most.

Was she not enough? Could she not help him grieve? They'd had a moment. They had been completely connected, they'd been sharing the weight of the world so that neither one of them had to shoulder it alone. And yet, he'd just gone and thrown all of that away. For what? An easy lay? She was offended. Offended and hurt and totally disgusted, because Bellamy was a lot of things but she'd never known him to act so much like a total _man _before.

And maybe, just maybe, she was a little bit jealous.

Melody didn't hesitate before she brought her mouth down to his chest and sunk her teeth into the flesh there. It wasn't just a little nip, either. Melody could taste _blood_ as her sharp little teeth punctured his skin. As expected, Bellamy cursed loudly and pushed Melody away from him. He stared down at his chest in surprise for a moment before looking at her. Melody found herself delighted that she had managed to one-up him, and that she'd gotten things back on track between the two of them.

"Go to sleep." Melody laughed softly and walked backwards towards the exit to his tent, not tearing her gaze from his. "First thing tomorrow I plan on going out and finding that ship.

As she departed, Melody could have sworn she saw something akin to panic flash in his eyes just moments before she closed the door behind her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"What do you mean he _left_?" Melody stared unblinkingly at Clarke, trying to process her words through the veil of sleep that still clung to her foggy mind.

_Bellamy left camp to find the pod._

It didn't make any sense. Melody had left their fearless leader's tent with a smile on her face, satisfied that she had finally managed to one-up Bellamy Blake. She'd mentioned something about staring out in the morning, and he'd agreed…hadn't he?

It was no secret that things between the two of them had been rocky for as long as they'd known each other. Melody was constantly trying to assert her independence while Bellamy was constantly trying to declare his authority. They had fallen into sort of a pattern that wasn't easily broken. Melody would act out and Bellamy would reprimand her, then they would carry on with life as usual. But not tonight; tonight she had done the reprimanding for a change. And, as expected, she'd added her own little flare to the whole ordeal; a flare that would leave a nasty little mark in the morning.

_That_ would give him something to think about.

Perhaps Bellamy would finally realize that Melody wasn't just another one of his soldiers. She wasn't his to scold. Maybe her antics had been a _bit_ childish. Or maybe it had been exactly the thing to give Bellamy the eye-opener that he needed. Things between them might be changing, but that didn't mean that Bellamy was just going to lay down and submit. Not even if she _was_starting to warm up to him, just a little bit.

After leaving Bellamy's tent, the night had been rather uneventful. Most of the campers had gotten word that they wouldn't be leaving until sunrise and Bellamy's order of 'lights out' had been taken seriously. Assuming that they would all pick up where they'd left off in the morning, Melody had crawled into a neighboring tent to inform -and check on- Monty and Jasper. Upon Jasper's recovery the two boys had been issued a tent considering they no longer had an excuse to stay in the dropship. And since there wasn't room for three, Octavia had graciously insisted that Melody bunk with her, leaving Mel to drop in for 'visits' as often as she could.

After a short visit with the boys and ensuring that things were alright, Melody had crossed the short distance to her own tent. Octavia was nowhere to be found -which wasn't unusual- so Melody had kicked off her boots, shed the majority of her regular clothing, and crawled into her warm and welcoming bed. Drained from the events of the long day she'd had, Melody had passed out the moment her head hit the pillow. She couldn't have been asleep for more than fifteen or twenty minutes before Clarke was shaking her awake.

Once again, they had a crisis to handle.

"Bellamy left camp." Clarke stared down at Melody with both arms wrapped tightly around her chest, as if to stave off the night's cool breeze. "To find the cargo pod that crashed."

Melody's mind was racing as she pulled herself into a sitting position, fighting off the wave of drowsiness that threatened to consume her. They couldn't even have _one_ night to themselves. It was always one thing right after another. Melody was tired; physically _and_ emotionally, and she didn't know how much longer she could run on low batteries before crashing.

"Why?" She tried and failed to bite back a yawn, which was so powerful that she felt for a moment as if it might rip her in half. "He said we shouldn't leave until morning. That it was too dangerous."

"We think he's after the radio system that would allow us to communicate with the Ark." Clarke began to pace around the enclosed space, doing anything to keep herself busy. "We need to get to it before he does."

Melody was no rocket scientist, but it didn't take her very long to figure out why they needed to be the ones to reach the pod first. "You think he'll destroy it." Mel said softly, her words hovering somewhere between a question and a statement.

It made sense. Bellamy had been against making contact with the Ark since the beginning. That was why he had removed the peoples' wristbands. It was why he had made such a big deal of convincing the other campers that they could survive on their own. He had made them think that the Ark had turned their backs on them; which, Melody had to admit, they essentially _had._And now, it was why he had gone out of his way to reach the crashed ship before the rest of them.

He was trying to make the Ark think they were dead. _Again. _

"_Clarke._" Urged Melody, who had grown anxious when the latter failed to respond. "Is he going to destroy the radio?" She already knew the answer, but she needed Clarke to say it; that would make it concrete. That would put things into motion.

"Yes." Clarke paused in her pacing to look down at Melody. "Finn and I are heading out. Are you in or not?" The question was short and snappy, full of impatience that Clarke didn't even try to hide.

Melody didn't take it personally. When it came to contacting the Ark, she and Clarke were on the same wavelength. They both had people they cared about on that space station. They both had their _mothers_up there_._ Neither one of them could stomach the thought of innocent people dying. And that was exactly what would happen if they didn't let the Ark know that Earth was survivable. Impatience was warranted given the situation, and Melody excused it.

"Definitely." Mel stood up quickly -but unsteadily- and sprung into action. She began to gather the items that she would need for a trip beyond the wall. A jacket, her water bottle, some nutrition packs, a weapon…

"Finn's already packing up some supplies for us to take." Clarke hesitated near the entrance, looking as antsy as ever. When not pacing, she was just staring there, wringing her hands and looking anxious. "He'll probably need help…"

"Go help him." Melody insisted, waving her hand as she hurriedly snaked a belt around her waist and tightened it appropriately. "I'll only be a few minutes."

It was obvious that Clarke would rather be panicking with Finn than with her. Once again, Melody didn't take it personally. She of all people knew that everybody needed somebody. And Finn was Clarke's somebody.

The blonde was relieved. She stood with one foot out the door already, waiting just on Melody's blessing before taking her leave. "Alright. As soon as you're dressed we'll head out." And with that, she made her escape.

Melody was once again alone in her tent; alone with her thoughts. Thoughts which were very conflicting as of late. She had done her best to give Bellamy Blake the benefit of the doubt. But it seemed that every time Melody was starting to warm up to him, Bellamy went and pulled a stunt that made her want to throttle him. First, he'd forcibly removed her wristband. And then he had threatened to kill Jasper. Days later he had announced that he knew her secret. And then just days after _that_, he'd tried to hang Murphy. Last night he'd shacked up with Thing One and Thing Two. And now, he was trying to destroy their lifeline to the Ark.

Melody hardly had time to catch her breath before there was a new issue being forced down her throat.

Sitting down on her makeshift bed, Melody pulled her combat boots on, the supple leather sliding on easily, having molded to her feet after days and nights of overuse. As she did up the laces, Mel tried to think positively. "We can beat him to it." She assured herself softly. "We can save the Ark."

She couldn't afford to think any differently.

Melody exited the tent as soon as she had properly dressed and armed herself. With the grounders lurking about, no one could be cautious enough. All she had was a knife, but it was enough to defend herself if push came to shove. Unless, of course, the grounders tried to spear her…In which case, she was pretty much screwed. But having the knife on her eased a little bit of the worry.

Clarke and Finn were waiting for her near the gate, looking impatient. Their gazes softened upon seeing Melody approaching, and they beckoned her forward. She jogged the rest of the way to them, making up for lost time, and took the backpack that Finn held out for her. Melody strapped on the bag -seeing as how it was primarily made out of a seat belt from the dropship, courtesy of Wells' brilliant mind- and put on her game face.

"I'm ready." She looked eagerly between the two of them. She didn't want to delay things any further. It wasn't as if they had a whole bunch of excess time to waste. "We should head out. He's already gotten enough of a head start."

Neither one of them disagreed with her logic. Every minute that they wasted was another minute that put Bellamy closer to finding the radio. With Monty's wristbands fried, that radio was their last connection to the Ark. It was literally the Ark's lifeline.

It was still dark when they set out, but dawn was rapidly approaching, turning the sky a light shade of grey. Unlike the last time that they'd set out together, they kept their pace brisk and the talking to a minimum. There was no room for leisure. If you slowed down, you were left behind. The three of them were in a race against time. Or rather, a race against Bellamy. And the odds were against them.

The sun was just beginning to come up when the strain on her body began to effect Melody. She was rather fit and no stranger to exercise, especially since coming down to Earth, but no one could attempt such a quest without breaking a sweat. Their strides hadn't slowed any in the last half hour and they had long ago fallen silent as they willed their bodies to continue forward, driven by nothing but sheer determination.

Melody's chest was heaving, constricting, and her legs were throbbing in protest to the overuse. Her breath came out in short pants, because anything more made her lungs feel as if they were on fire and the weight in her chest was already causing her to struggle for breath. All of a sudden, it became all her legs could do just to carry her weight. It wasn't long before the cramps would start; she knew the signs of muscle fatigue. In short, she felt like one walking -or rather running- _ache._There wasn't a part of Melody that didn't feel the extent of her overexertion.

With the pain came a feeling of exuberance that Melody both adored and detested. She had never felt more alive nor closer to death. In a way, the pain woke her up. It made her more aware of_herself._Melody could count each ragged breath and feel every thunderous beat of her heart in the very depths of her soul. In another way, the pain shut her down. Melody wanted nothing more than to just crumple in a heap on the ground. She could hardly focus on anything other than the pain and what it was doing to her body.

Still, she forced herself to continue.

They had been triumphant from the very beginning. First, they had survived the landing. That in itself was a miracle. Then, they had found Mount Weather. And although they hadn't actually managed to get _inside_ the shelter, they had still located it. Clarke had brought Jasper back from the brink of death. Melody had gotten in a fight with Murphy and _won._ Finn had gotten the girl, not that there was much competition. Octavia and Melody had found themselves in a tentative friendship. They had come too far to give up now.

"Should we split up?" Clarke sounded just as breathless as Melody felt, which made the latter feel just a bit better about her exhaustion.

"Yeah." Finn didn't pause in his running, but he turned his gaze to look between the two of them. It was impressive, considering the fact that he managed to somehow not lose his footing. "You guys go left. I'll go right. We'll meet at the bottom."

Melody and Clarke nodded their agreement and veered off towards the left. They had been running steadily downhill for a while now. It was easier than anything else, but it required more attention and balance than running on flat land. One wrong move and they would go tumbling down the hill, probably breaking their necks but at the very least slowing them down even further. And that was the last thing any of them needed at the moment.

"Are you sure this is where it landed?" Panted Melody as she turned her gaze towards Clarke for just a moment. Not long enough to really _see_ her, because Melody didn't trust herself enough not to trip and fall to her death.

The blonde gave a curt nod and picked up her pace slightly. "Positive. We saw it come down." Melody had no reason not to believe Clarke, so she nodded her head once and kept her eyes peeled, following suit.

_I really need to start doing laps around camp or something. This is crazy._Melody thought to herself, noting that even her inner monologue sounded winded. _Kudos to people who do this shit for fun._

That last thought had barely crossed her mind when they came upon a clearing. The incline stopped and flattened out so abruptly that Melody stumbled slightly near the end and almost lost her footing. Luckily, Clarke was there to grip her shoulder and straighten her out, or else Melody surely would have collapsed into a heap at the bottom of the hill. Clarke seemed to _always_ be there to "straighten her out."

They stopped for a moments' rest, and Melody took advantage of the fact. Bracing her palms on her thighs, Melody bent over and struggled to catch her breath. Each inhale was like wildfire coursing through her chest, and each exhale was a ragged gasp. If this was what being in shape felt like, she would gladly refrain. Then again, if she was having this much trouble running for such a short amount of time, she would never be able to outrun a grounder. She really needed to beef up a bit.

"Clarke, leave me for grounder bait." Melody dropped to her knees dramatically, head bowed as she finally gave in to her aching body's wishes. The relief was immediate, and she didn't know how she would ever get up again when laying down felt _this _good.

Melody didn't have to be watching Clarke to know that the other girl was rolling her eyes in a mixture of exasperation and amusement, something she did often. "Melody stop with the theatrics. It can't be…whoa."

There were a few beats of silence where Melody waited for Clarke to elaborate on her 'whoa.' When the latter failed to do so, Mel cast a confused glance towards the blonde. Clarke was lost in her own world, staring across the clearing with wide eyes and a delighted smile. Melody slowly dragged her gaze in that direction and immediately gasped as her eyes took in the crashed cargo pod, sitting in a spaceship-sized crater with smoke rolling off of it in waves.

They'd found it.

Melody had barely climbed to her feet in the time it took Clarke to reach the pod. Protectiveness surged throughout Melody, prompting her to jog -yes, more jogging- across the clearing and to Clarke's side. There was no telling whether the person from the Ark was friend or foe. There was only _one_ pod, which had made Melody suspicious from the very beginning. Curbing her inner mama bear was not in the best interest of anyone as far as she was concerned. Melody was always overly-cautious, in an attempt to look out for the rest of them. Clarke was too trusting. She would greet an armed guardsmen with open arms. And then take a bullet in the head if they weren't careful.

After all, Bellamy had impersonated a member of the guard; how hard could it really be?

As expected, Clarke forced her way into the pod with no concern about who or what might be waiting for her. Melody waited, leaning anxious against the metal contraption with both her arms and legs crossed, foot tapping impatiently against the ground. When Clarke called out to her that everything was fine, Melody relaxed, but only slightly. Her gaze flickered towards the front of the pod, and she waited curiously for whoever was inside to come out and join the world of the living.

Eventually, the newcomer did manage to make their way out.

Melody took one look at the girl and realized that she wasn't a threat. At least not an _immediate _threat. In fact, she looked just like the rest of them. She couldn't have been much older than Melody or Clarke, although she carried herself in a way that suggested she was aged beyond her years. The girl was pretty, with raven-colored hair and deeply-tanned skin and the most beautiful smile on her face.

Like the rest of them, she was in awe at the world they were now a part of.

Melody flashed a grin and waggled her fingers in a wave. "Welcome home."

She had the pleasure of watching as the girl took her first steps on Earth. Was this how they had all looked? So rapt and radiant, as if they were on top of the world. The feeling of adrenaline in her veins was all too easy for Melody to recall, but it wasn't the reaction that Earth inspired in her anymore. The "wow factor" had long ago been replaced by the reality of the world. Sometimes, she wished she was still seeing things for the first time. Ignorance was bliss.

"I dreamed it would smell like this." Whispered the girl, her dark eyes wide.

She stepped shakily into the center of the field. Arms outstretched, she turned in a slow circle and breathed in the lovely scent that was Earth. It was sweet and fresh, with earthy undertones that combined together to create something that was heaven to the senses. She was still savoring the scent when the droplets started to fall from the sky. It was just a light mist, but it caused the girl's eyes to widen in pure, childlike delight.

"Is this rain?" She looked eagerly between Melody and Clarke.

Clarke nodded, unable to keep the grin from her face as they gauged the girl's reactions to things that had become practically mundane to them. "Welcome home." She echoed Melody's earlier words and then the three of them fell into a comfortable silence.

They were all so wrapped up in the girl's first experience with Earth, that first blissful moment when everything in the world just seemed so_ right_, that none of them saw Finn appear at the other side of the clearing. It wasn't until he was running at them, the sound of his boots squelching in the wet grass and mud, that Melody and Clarke looked up. Just when Melody was about to call out to him, _he_ shouted out to _her_.

"Raven!"

There was no denying the amazement and affection and total familiarity in Finn's voice as he called out to her. At the sound of the name being called, the girl's head whipped to the side and her eyes widened slightly. The grin on Finn's face was the biggest Melody could ever remember seeing. The doom and gloom vibe he gave off most of the time was replaced, only this grin wasn't for _them_; it was for _her._

"Finn!" The girl, Raven, launched herself into his arms.

Understanding dawned on Melody and Clarke at the same time. Finn and Raven stood there, lost in their own little world, embracing and gazing longingly into each other's' eyes. There was no questioning whether or not they'd known each other before coming down to Earth. And from the look of things, they had known each other _quite well._

Those suspicions were confirmed the moment Raven wrapped her arms around Finn's neck and pulled him down to her. Their lips met in what looked like desperate attack for affection, and Melody could feel Clarke tense by her side. She shifted towards Clarke, wanting to reach out and make sure that the girl was okay. But Melody couldn't bring herself to do so; this wasn't something she really understood.

Melody was quickly growing impatient with the reunited couple. The look on Clarke's face made her want to reach out and strangle Finn _and _Raven, although she didn't even know the latter. Melody was working on controlling her temper, though, so she just stayed silent and watched the two, letting them enjoy their reunion. They were clearly not bothered by the fact that Clarke seemed to be crumbling more and more with each passing second. Perhaps they couldn't see it, but Melody could. Clarke tried to put on a brave face, like always, but Melody knew that the other girl was hurting. She had seen the way Clarke was with Finn. The way _he_ was with _her__, like two people who were meant to be together__._

Suddenly, selfishly, she wished it had been anyone else on that ship.

"How did you get here?" When they finally broke apart, Finn gazed down at Raven in amazement. Upon remembering where they were, his gaze darted anxiously between Raven and the two girls who were watching the exchange with ill-disguised discomfort.

"You know that big scrap hold, the one on K deck?" Chirped Raven excitedly. She was completely oblivious to the tension that she had brought upon their little group.

"You built that from scrap?"

"I kind of rebuilt it. _Please_. Like that's hard." Raven beamed at Finn, who was looking at her with a combination of astonished affection. "It just needed a couple parts and some love."

"You're insane." Finn's voice was soft, and full of nothing but pure love for the girl that was standing behind him. It dripped from each and every word, sickly sweet and damaging to the overall morale of the group.

"I'd do more for you and worse." Insisted Raven. "Just like you would for me."

Finn began to look uncomfortable then, and he ignored the words as if they hadn't been said. His gaze flickered between the three girls once again, and then he was urging Raven to sit down. The jacket he wore was quickly wrapped around the girl's shoulders, and Raven looked as content as a girl who'd just been reunited with her boyfriend _should _look. When Finn jogged over towards them, both girls greeted him with blank stares.

"I'm sorry." The words were meant for Clarke, but his eyes were locked on Melody's. He had the decency to at least look sheepish, but it did nothing to soften the girl's heart. She returned the stare evenly.

"Let's not talk about this." Clare said shortly.

"We've known each other our whole lives…"

"Finn. Let it go." Melody frowned over at him as the three of them walked towards Raven. "We've got bigger problems right now."

Finn didn't argue with Melody. He simply looked between the three of them uneasily once again, not knowing how to proceed. Luckily for him, the girls were smart enough to figure things out for themselves. Melody bent beside Raven and handed her a rag that she'd pulled out of the make-shift backpack. At Clarke's urging, the new girl pressed the rag against her head and applied pressure.

"This is Clarke." Finn said, pointing to the blonde doctor. "And Melody." He continued, gesturing towards the stoic redhead. "They were on the dropship, too."

Clarke's name alone caused Raven to immediately perk up.

"Clarke?" Her eyes widened in surprise, and then a grin spread across her face. "This is all because of your mom!"

"My _mom_?"

"This was her plan!" Explained Raven. "We were trying to come down here together. If we had waited…oh my god." The horrified look in Raven's eyes sent chills down Melody's spine, and she feared the worse. "We couldn't wait because the council is voting on whether or not to kill 300 people to save air."

"What!? When?"

"Today! We have to tell them you're alive."

The four of them wasted no time in running back towards the crashed cargo pod. Melody's heart soared at the thought of finally making contact with the Ark, after so many failed attempts. This was it. They were finally going to be able to save all of those people. No one had to die because they had done the impossible. They'd proven that Earth was inhabitable.

Raven reached the pod first and began to search the controls, as she was most familiar with them. After a few moments of looking she paused and then cursed. "The radio's gone. It must have gotten loose during re-entry." She cursed some more, shaking her head angrily before slamming around some loose parts on the ship's dashboard.

"No, this is my fault." Clarke sighed and shook her head "Someone else got here before us."

"Bellamy." Melody pressed a hand against her forehead in exasperation. "Damn it!" She kicked at the ground, sending up a loose patch of dirt.

Clarke nodded. "We have to find him."

"Shouldn't be too hard. Let's just follow the stench of treachery." Muttered Melody.

It took no more urging from Clarke. They all began to trot back up the hill just as quickly as they had come down it. Only this time, there wasn't room for physical pain. The only pain that Melody felt was emotional. Her heart ached for all of those people that would die because of Bellamy's selfish actions. Three _hundred_ innocent lives would be lost for no reason. Earth was inhabitable. If only they could reach the Ark…

_Mom._

The thought tore through Melody's chest like a knife. If she knew anything about how the world worked, it was that you cut out the weakest links. Melody's mother -and their whole station- lived in poverty. They were the Factory Station. They made the goods that the rest of the Ark needed. There was an abundance of them, because the Ark _always_ needed new supplies. Three Hundred Factory Level workers was _nothing._ They were the most disposable out of anyone. Which meant that they would be the first to go.

This was no longer a matter of right and wrong. This was _personal._ By taking that radio, Bellamy had almost certainly inadvertly condemned her mother to death. In Melody's eyes, that was almost the same as if he were the one to push the button himself.

"Hey!"

Clarke spotted Bellamy first.

The man walked at a leisurely pace, hands shoved in his pockets and head bent. At the sound of Clarke's voice, his head raised, but after a quick glance in their general direction, Bellamy kept walking. The way he so casually dismissed their presence angered Clarke, prompting her to take off towards him at a run. After exchanged looks of unease, Melody and Finn picked up the pace and joined them.

"… and I can guarantee you it won't be council members. It'll be working people. _Your _people!" Clarke enunciated her words with a well-placed jab to Bellamy's chest, blue eyes spitting fire at him as her chest heaved with the emotion behind her speech.

Melody had always known that Bellamy was from one of the working stations, but she didn't know which one. She'd never seen him on Factory, so she could only assume that he was from Mecha. Bellamy definitely had the look of someone from Mecha; tanned skin, dark hair and eyes, a muscled body that was used to hard work. Whereas Melody looked like someone from Factory; light-skinned, fair haired with green eyes, and a body that had never known anything harder than working an assembly line.

"_Our_people." Melody amended with a frown. Factory or Mecha, they were both part of the working class. Or they _had_ been. And it was _their_ people, people they'd known most of their lives, who would be suffering if Bellamy didn't hand over Raven's radio.

Those blazing brown eyes glared daggers between the two girls. Bellamy crossed his arms over his chest firmly. "I don't know what you're talking about." He gave a soft huff, as if annoyed by their mere presence. As if _he _were the one who should be aggravated by their situation.

When Melody looked up at him, she didn't see the same person that she'd spent the previous night with. She didn't see those gentle, kind eyes that had soothed her when Charlotte's death had been weighing on her conscious. His words no longer had that playful and daring edge that she had come to depend on. This wasn't _her_ Bellamy; this wasn't the boy she had come to tolerate and almost respect over the last few days.

This was the side of Bellamy that made Melody shake with anger. This was the power-hungry, self-serving jackass. The Rebel King that did whatever _he _thought needed to be done, everyone else's thoughts and feelings be damned.

Fueled by her anger and a sudden spike of adrenaline as the severity of the situation came crashing down on her, Melody lashed out and shoved Bellamy with all the force she could muster up. "You _do_ know, Bellamy. You took the radio and now innocent people are going to die because of you!"

He stumbled back a few steps, glare now trained on her and her alone. "I didn't take any radio."

"Yes, you did!" With another shove to the chest, Melody sent him retreating once more. "We need that radio if we're going to save any of them."

"Bellamy." Interjected Clarke shortly. She stepped towards the two of them, looking torn between intervening and letting things play out. "We just want the radio. No one needs to die over this."

The words set off something inside of Bellamy, and he stepped towards Clarke menacingly. He towered over her easily, looking murderous when he growled out his response. "It's not my problem, Princess."

The words were cruel and inhumane. They were words that he could never take back, not even if he lived for another hundred years. _It's not my problem._With those few words, he was condemning hundreds of innocent people to death. And the worst part was, he had absolutely no remorse.

Those heartless words made Melody's skin crawl. She, who spent all of her time trying to save any and every one that needed help, couldn't fathom how someone could turn their back and let innocent lives be taken. And, for what? Because he selfishly didn't want the Ark to come down to Earth? Because he wanted to play King a little while longer?

"You _animal._" Melody threw herself at him, small fists beating furiously against his broad chest until the point that her knuckles were aching and split once more. "My people are going to die because of you!"

_My mother is going to die because of you._

Bellamy caught Melody's body easily and held it against his, one palm splayed on the small of her back to keep her in place. The girl's arms were pinned between their bodies, temporarily halting the assault that was doing more damage to her already-injured hands than to Bellamy. There was nothing she could do but stare at him unwaveringly, putting all of her effort into keeping her lip from quivering.

"We can't let all of those people die, Bellamy." Clarke spoke softly in that calm, lulling voice that had soothed Melody a time or two before, when something shook her so deeply that it sent her flying off the deep end. This time, it did nothing to ease the stubborn redhead's mind, or her body for that matter. "Just tell us where the radio is."

"And then what, Clarke?" Bellamy met the blonde's gaze over the top of Melody's head. His grip on her arm tightened reflexively in response to his anger, causing her to grind her teeth together. "The Ark comes down and things go back to how they were before?"

"Who cares?" Snapped Melody, throwing her fiery hair over one shoulder. "This isn't about The Ark and what may or may not happen when they come down. You're making a conscious choice to murder those people, Bellamy! You're a murderer!"

Melody regretted the words the moment they passed her lips.

Bellamy's gaze darkened in that cold, sinister way that sent chills down her spine. Melody stiffened in his arms, holding her breath as she turned her gaze slowly towards his. It seemed almost as if he were undergoing a transformation before her very eyes. As if he were going from the handsome -and intensely irritating- man that she knew to something much darker, something that made fear coil up in the pit of her stomach. It was the look of a predator, of someone who would tear your throat out and enjoy every second that you spent bleeding out in their arms.

"Sounds like someone else I know." The look he gave Melody made her chest tighten.

The words were low and smooth, coming out in a soft murmur that could have been intimate and soothing under different circumstances. They had the desired effect; Melody's mouth snapped shut and she went limp in his arms. When their eyes met again, there was a pleading light in hers that hadn't been there before. Melody hated being reduced to someone that would lie down and cower and beg for their life, as if they didn't have an ounce of dignity.

They didn't need to talk. They both knew exactly what message Melody's eyes were trying to convey.

_You promised._

Clarke and the others weren't keyed into this silent exchange. The blonde doctor stood just a few paces behind them, watching intently with a concerned look on her face. Finn and Raven hung back, the latter tucked into Finn's side as if that would protect her from what was going on around them.

"What's he talking about, Mel?" Clarke looked between the two of them slowly, her voice soft and hesitant. "Who else would do something this awful?"

"Yeah, _Mel._" When Bellamy used it, the nickname came out sounding cruel and mocking. It caused Melody's stomach to churn unpleasantly, and the old familiar feeling of shame flared up inside of her. "Tell her who I know that would be okay with _murder._"

Melody's heart sank with every word that they spoke. A nearly inaudible sob wracked her chest, causing the small girl to shake in Bellamy's arms with pent-up fear and anxiety. The last few weeks on Earth had been spent forming relationships and earning respect. She had gone out on a limb and asked for acceptance and friendship; it had been given to her. And now, Bellamy was going to destroy everything she had always wanted, on a whim.

"Bellamy." Her voice cracked. "Please don't do this." Unshed tears glistened in her eyes, but Melody blinked them back rapidly, refusing to let a single one fall. She wouldn't give Bellamy the satisfaction of watching her crumble at his feet.

"This one's on you, sweetheart." His hot breath was against her ear and her neck, threatening to suffocate Melody. "I'm just the messenger."

"Do _what_?" Clarke, who had been watching the scene patiently, suddenly cried out with such anger and frustration in her voice that it made Melody cringe into Bellamy's chest. "What the hell am I missing here?"

Of the two evils, Bellamy was somehow the lesser. Like he'd said; he was just the messenger. Nobody shot the messenger. It was Clarke -along with the rest of her friends- and the fear of the unknown that worried Melody. They didn't know what she'd done. In all the weeks they'd spent together, she hadn't confided in them. Her most well-kept secret had stayed as it was, under lock and key. She'd been afraid of rejection. Afraid of the way they would look at her if -_when_ \- she proved not to be who they thought she was.

And now, her worst fear was coming true.

"Go on, Melody. Tell her." Bellamy pushed her away from him gently, putting a few feet in between the two of them. The act was _too _gentle, considering the fact that he was about to single-handedly destroy everything she had built for herself on Earth.

"Bellamy, _stop_." She drew in a ragged breath, unable to stop her chest from heaving with the force of her silent sobs. "You don't have to do this."

"Do _what_?" Each time she had to repeat herself, Clarke's voice rose an octave. The blonde, as smart as she was, wasn't able to piece together what Bellamy was implying.

He took it upon himself to clue her in.

"Our lovely Melody has been lying to us." Bellamy spoke loudly, as if addressing an audience rather than a single girl and a few outlying bystanders. His gaze shone with what could only be self-satisfaction as he continued. "She isn't some poor, defenseless girl that got sent to the Sky Box for unjustified reasons."

"No. _Bellamy._" Melody moved towards him, but he shoved her away.

Melody, already unsteady, managed to stumble a few steps before falling flat on her back. She hit the ground hard, but the impact wasn't responsible for knocking the breath out of her. When she looked up at him, her eyes were filled with pain. Not pain from the fall, the pain of his betrayal. For a moment, Melody thought she saw his gaze soften. Almost as quickly as it faded, that self-servicing side of Bellamy Blake resurfaced.

"She's a murderer, Clarke." His voice was oddly void of any emotion, aside from the anticipation of revealing her secret. It was almost as if Bellamy had completely detached himself from what he was doing. There was an odd air of professionalism about him. "When she was thirteen years old, she killed the Ark's head doctor in cold blood. You call her a protector? She doesn't save lives; she _takes_ them. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but she's been lying to you for weeks, and none of you were smart enough to realize it."

_She doesn't save lives. She takes them._

It felt as if suddenly her whole world was crashing down around her, and all Melody could do was watch. That familiar feeling of helplessness flooded her, seizing up her muscles and tightening her chest and making it impossible to focus on anything other than the pain. She wanted nothing more than to turn and run as far and as fast as her legs could carry her, but how did you run from what was inside of you?

"You're lying." Clarke leveled her gaze, arms crossed tightly over her chest as she faced-off with Bellamy. "You just want to distract us from the real reason we're all here; the radio."

No matter how rough around the edges Melody might be, she was loved by almost everyone that came into contact with her, Clarke included. No one could believe that she was a murderer. Temperamental, maybe. Passionate. Relentless. But a murderer? The good doctor was fully prepared to stand up to Bellamy and deny his every word, because that's what a good friend did. But this time, Bellamy was right.

"No, _she's_ the liar." Bellamy jerked his head in Melody's direction. "Tell me, sweetheart, what's the difference between me killing all of these people and you killing that one? The fact that I'm not holding the knife to their throats personally?"

There were a few beats of silence as they absorbed the impact of Bellamy's words.

"Melody?" Clarke whispered the name, her voice full of disbelief and desperation. "It's not true, right? It _can't _be true."

"Clarke…"

What could she do? Deny it? Melody wished with all of her heart that she could do something to fix this, but there was nothing she could say that would change the past. What was done was done. Maybe if she told them all outright, in those very first days, things would be different. Maybe they would have been able to accept her for who she really was, and not who they thought she was. But she hadn't. And they couldn't.

When their gazes met, Clarke's was filled with everything that Melody had never wanted to see reflected in those baby blue depths. Horror. Anger. Confusion. Repulsion. Betrayal. Each moment that Clarke's unwavering stare lingered, Melody felt more and more as if she were getting stabbed straight through the heart. The reality of Clarke's rejection was much worse than she ever could have prepared for. Melody had never felt so much like a monster as she did in that moment, when she saw herself through Clarke's eyes.

"Yes." Breathed Melody, casting her gaze downwards. "When I was thirteen years old I killed a man…in cold blood." She hesitated, but ultimately decided to tack on the last part. _In cold blood_ meant that one felt no remorse. And she hadn't felt anything but relief in the moments after Jason's death. _Now_ and every day since she had felt the guilt, but _then_…then there had only been relief.

"You…you lied to me." Clarke whispered. "You pretended to be my _friend._"

The words cut Melody deeper than they should have. Mainly because she hadn't _pretended_ to be anything. Even if she wanted to, Melody wasn't a very good actress. When she felt, she felt deeply. None of it had been a lie.

"No, Clarke. I _am_ your friend." Melody stepped forward hesitantly, aching to close the distance between the two of them. It suddenly felt more like miles than feet.

"_No!_" The blonde shook her head angrily, tears spilling from her eyes. "I can't be friends with a murderer, Melody. You're no better than _them._"

It was obvious that the "them" Clarke was referring to was the council. The boogeymen of the Ark, the mass murderers that wouldn't hesitate before killing for their own selfish gain.

Once again Melody felt something akin to the feeling of a blade being speared through her chest as Clarke's words struck a nerve. Hadn't she been trying to prove to herself that she wasn't like _them_? Hadn't she spent every waking moment trying to separate herself from those on the Ark, those who didn't care? Melody cared about what happened on Earth; she cared about who lived and died. She cared about helping everyone that she could. She cared about making this their home, a safe haven for the human race once again.

She'd been saying that from the beginning…but had she meant it?

_You would have killed Murphy._A small voice reminded her, in the back of her head. _You wouldn't have blinked. You __wanted __to kill him. Maybe you_are_like the council, and you just can't accept it._

Shaking her head once more, Melody began to back away from Bellamy and Clarke, more for their benefit than hers. Somehow, she didn't think _I'm sorry_ would cover this. And right now, she didn't really trust herself not to do something crazy. They all knew what had happened to the last person who backed her into a corner, right?

There was a desperate part of Melody that wanted to explain to Clarke why she had done it. Something told her that if she could bring herself to explain, Clarke wouldn't condemn her; she would understand. The shame kept her from doing it. The shame, the humiliation, the disgust; all of it combined together settled like a leaden weight on Melody's chest. There was nothing she could do now; the damage was already done.

When Melody was a few feet away from them, Bellamy reached out. His gaze was softer now, almost regretful when he realized the full effect of his words. "Sweetheart."

"No." Melody's voice was cold and sharp, and it like a thousand knives piercing him. She continued to back away from them, from _him_, her eyes wet and her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Stay away from me, Bellamy. Just _stay away _from me."

"Melody…we're friends." Bellamy shook his head slowly, brown eyes boring into hers in a desperate, pleading sort of way. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to…I shouldn't have…"

"You're _sorry_, Bellamy? You do something like this to me, and you're _sorry_?" Melody raised her chin slightly although her lower lip trembled. "You're _not _my friend, and sorry means _shit_ coming from your mouth."

They weren't friends. They'd never been friends. She'd tried to fool herself into believing it, but deep down she'd always known. She wasn't meant to have friends. She was meant to be alone, always. And after what she'd done, a part of Melody thought maybe it was for the best.

Girls like her didn't deserve happy endings.

"Please, Melody." He took a step forward and she took two steps backwards, needing to feel that distance between them. "I'm _sorry._"

No amount of guilt that he was feeling could compare to the self-loathing that radiated from every cell in Melody's body. It seemed that no matter what she did, there was no way to escape her past. Even when she tried to move on, it was still there, lurking in the shadows and biding its time until it would be exposed. A million emotions flooded throughout her body; hurt, guilt, anger, shame.

She had never hated anyone as much as she currently hated herself.

And in that moment, Melody vowed never again to allow herself to be so _stupid_ as to put her faith in the likes of Bellamy Blake.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

_I can't be friends with a murderer, Melody._

The words rattled around in Melody's mind, quiet at first but eventually morphing into a steady roar that drowned out everything else. Out of all the wounding words that had been spoken, Clarke's were the ones that had struck her the deepest and they were the ones permanently seared into Melody's memory.

_You're no better than __**them.**_

Deep within the margins of her mind the words lashed out and struck Melody like a knife, over and over again. She was used to the lasting effect words could have on her mind. She was used to the gut-wrenching feeling of betrayal. It seemed that Melody's weakest defense had always been her own mind. Physical attacks she could take. _Emotional _attacks were a whole other story. They were the ones that left lasting damage; the kind of wounds Band-Aids couldn't fix.

Upon returning to the dropship Melody had locked herself in the upper level and refused any attempt made to comfort her. Despite the relentless pleas from Jasper and Monty, Melody remained curled up on the furthest side of the dropship, bent at the waist with her head resting on her knees. A metal rod was shoved between the hatch and the handles on either side, locking it firmly into place.

The situation gave Melody the oddest sense of Déjà vu. Little over a week ago she had been in the same position. She'd locked herself in the upper level and was praying for Jasper's safe recovery. Then, she had sought out the comfort that Monty and Octavia had offered. Now, she was praying for her own recovery and rejecting any and all attempts made by her friends in an effort to console her.

A lot could change in a matter of days.

Melody was finding that a lot could change in a matter of _hours._ It had taken her weeks to build this new life on Earth. Weeks to earn respect and form friendships amid their group of lawbreakers and wrongdoers. Weeks to form an unsteady -and now broken- alliance with Bellamy Blake. And it had taken her weeks to finally find her place in this crazy mess; to finally feel like she _belonged._

And in the blink of an eye it was all gone.

Ties severed, friends lost, and what seemed to be irreversible damage done. Melody wanted to feel angry about the whole situation, but all she felt was the biting blade of a double-edged sword. Part of her was devastated that her dirty secret was now public knowledge. At the same time, another part of Melody was almost relieved that Bellamy had voiced her crimes aloud. She felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders. No longer did she carry the burden of hiding Jason's death. Now, only the guilt remained.

The betrayal hadn't come as a shock to Melody. Everyone knew that Bellamy watched out for himself and only himself. And if that meant ruining someone else in the process, it was a price he was willing to pay. What had surprised her was his weak attempt at an apology. As if the words 'I'm sorry' could magically make everything vanish. It was funny how those words meant less and less the more they were spoken.

Somehow something that Bellamy said managed to infiltrate Melody's mind despite the fact that it was currently filled to capacity with other spiteful words and hateful comments. His question only added to the chaos that was raging inside her head.

_What's the difference between me killing all of these people and you killing that one?_ _The fact that I'm not holding the scalpel to their throats personally?_

There were many differences including the one Bellamy had mentioned. The first being that it was _hundreds_ of people versus Melody's one. That didn't make what she had done excusable, but she hadn't sentenced _300 people_ to death for purely selfish reasons. The second reason was the fact that those 300 people were innocent whereas Jason Evans had not been. If only Bellamy knew the reasons behind Melody's actions…but he didn't. And if she had it her way, he never would.

"_Melody!_" Accompanying the shout was a loud knocking sound as someone beat their fist against the metal hatch.

It took a few moments for the words to pierce through the hazy veil of thoughts that clouded Melody's mind. And then it took a few more for her to finally blink out of the trance-like state that she'd been in. Melody's jaw clenched as she heard Jasper continue to pound away at the metal separating the two of them. Didn't he know how to take a hint?

"Melody, I know you're up there!" Jasper shouted, relentlessly banging on the small door. "There's no point in trying to shut me out."

An exasperated huff escaped from between Melody's lips as she stared in the direction of all the noise. _She _was the one that was supposed to provide comfort, not the one who needed it. Melody was the one who was supposed to shield them from all the evil in the world. It was her job to protect them and to give them hope.

It was funny how when the roles were reversed it upset Melody to have someone looking out for her instead of the other way around.

"Go away, Jasper." Melody shouted back. Her voice was hoarse and cracked slightly as a result of the crying she'd done over the last few hours.

_Wait, hours? _

Melody looked out the small window in the upper level and frowned when she saw only darkness. Dusk was quickly approaching which meant that she had been locked away in the dropship for much longer than she had realized.

"Melody, let me in." Demanded Jasper. All of the racket he continued to make was beginning to give Melody a headache. "I'm not going to go away."

Melody knew that Jasper was telling the truth. The boy was rather persistent and even a bit stubborn when he wanted something. That was one of the many things Melody liked about him. But in this instance, she wished that he would just do as he was told and not put up a fight. Melody just couldn't take any more confrontation today. Her mind would probably melt if she continued to stress out over the day's events.

After much deliberation Melody finally crawled towards the entrance to the second level. She gripped the metal rod and pulled it free from its confinement. Immediately the hatch flew open and Jasper was angrily climbing up the last few rungs of the ladder. When he saw Melody, his gaze softened immediately and he moved to sit beside where she had propped herself up against the wall.

There was silence between the two of them for a few moments. It wasn't an uncomfortable silence on either side. Melody didn't allow herself to look at Jasper for the longest time. She sat with her back propped up against the wall and her legs straightened out in front of her. Suddenly, gnawing her lower lip seemed to take all of her focus. In return, Jasper kept his own eyes forward and his fingertips drummed a steady beat against the floor.

Melody didn't know what to say. If she tried to apologize for what she'd done, it may be the first Jasper was hearing of her crimes. If she stayed silent, he might lash out at her for keeping it all a secret. It seemed that no matter what she said, it wouldn't be the right thing. Luckily, Melody didn't have to wonder long because Jasper was the first to break the silence.

"Clarke told us what happened." Jasper said softly, turning his head so he could look down at Melody. "About the doctor." He added, as if there might be some confusion as to what he meant. But there was no confusion; Melody knew exactly what he was getting at.

"I suppose she'll want me to leave." Melody replied evenly, biting down hard enough to draw the coppery taste of blood into her mouth.

It was only right that Melody be banished like Murphy. He'd killed Charlotte and Melody had killed Jason. The two of them were like peas in a pod. Besides, Melody didn't know if she could handle everyone looking at her the way they'd looked at Murphy; as if she were evil and unwelcome.

The suggestion caused Jasper's eyebrows to fly up in surprise. "Of course not." He said firmly, shaking his head from side to side. "Melody, you're pardoned. We're _all_ pardoned. You have just as much of a right to be here as the rest of us."

Melody shook her head slowly as Jasper's words penetrated her mind. Why did he have to try and make her feel better? Mel was content to bask in sorrow and self-pity for the rest of her days on Earth. Yet here was Jasper, her very own knight in shining armor, sweeping in and making everything okay again. But everything was not _okay._

"Jasper, I killed him." Mel said slowly as she turned her green gaze up to meet his brown one. The sympathy and affection that she saw reflected in his eyes made Melody turn her head away at once. "I'm a murderer." She muttered as her head leaned back to rest against the wall and her eyes traced the patterns of the ceiling.

"Mel you're not a murderer." Insisted Jasper.

"Then what am I?" Melody demanded, her fiery gaze snapping back towards Jasper. "Don't you understand anything, Goggle Boy? I _killed_ a person."

Jasper's own gaze hardened considerable as he looked down at her. "So did some of the others." He reminded her of the several other delinquents that had been put away for murder. Most of them under much different circumstances. "And they've been forgiven Melody."

Melody wanted to scream in frustration because Jasper just didn't _get it_. He'd never killed a man before. He had never felt the _guilt._ Mel didn't need the forgiveness of the Ark or the 100 or even God himself. What she needed was to forgive herself. To finally be rid of all the guilt and the fear that had been clouding up her mind for the last four years.

And that just wasn't in the cards right now.

"Jasper." Melody said softly, not sure how to further explain it to him. "I got a slap on the wrist. And that just isn't enough."

Jasper scowled in obvious confusion. "A slap on the wrist? Melody, you spent years in _prison._ You did the time."

"No, I didn't!" Melody shouted, pushing herself to her feet in order to walk across the room. "I took Jason's _life._ No amount of time can make up for something like that."

Jasper grew considerably quiet as Melody paced across the upper level. She ran a hand through her already tousled red hair, brushing the long locks out of her face with a sigh. Melody was beyond conflicted. She was torn between being the tough girl that she'd developed into over the years and the weak, frightened girl that she'd been in her youth. It hadn't taken much to unlock the latter part of herself, so maybe Melody wasn't quite as _tough_ as she'd thought.

_Or maybe you've just been strong for too long._ A small, optimistic voice whispered in Melody's ears. _Everyone's got a weakness, Mel. _

"You knew him."

Jasper's words startled Melody out of her thoughts. The pacing halted as she turned to look at the boy once more. All traces of anger had left her face as confusion clouded over. Arms crossed over her chest, Melody tilted her head before she spoke.

"What?"

"You knew him." Repeated Jasper. "You knew the doctor. You called him _Jason._" He pointed out, climbing to his feet slowly.

Melody blinked a few times as she let the words sink in. She hadn't meant to let that little bit of information slip. But now that she had, Melody knew that Jasper would be relentless in figuring out the rest of the story. With a sigh, she leaned back against the wall and watched as he walked towards her.

"I did know him." Mel admitted, shrugging one of her shoulders easily. "So what?" She asked, watching Jasper carefully. He leaned against the wall with one shoulder and faced Melody with both arms crossed over his chest. Dark brown eyes bore into her own.

"_So_, what did he do?"

Melody's eyes widened at Jasper's question. "W-what do you mean?" She spluttered embarrassingly and rubbed the back of her neck nervously.

"Mel, I know you." Jasper said softly. He reached out and placed one hand on her shoulder before giving it a gentle squeeze. "You're not just some killer; you're a _protector. _It's what you do. If you killed this guy there had to be a reason for it."

"You don't know anything..." Melody mumbled as she pulled away from the unwelcome yet comforting contact between the two of them.

Jasper wouldn't let her leave, though. He reached out with both arms and grasped her shoulders firmly. Jasper was stronger than Melody and he easily held her in place despite her efforts to get away. As his fingers tightened their hold, Melody had no choice but to face him. Their gazes clashed once more and Melody found herself frowning up at him.

Jasper gave Melody a pointed look as he took an intentional step forward. "I know you stabbed Murphy in the leg when he tried to go after me."

Melody's frown turned into a full-blown scowl. There was no point in denying Jasper's words because they were true. _Everyone _knew about Melody's fight with Murphy. In a group like theirs word traveled fast.

"And I watched you punch that guy who was being an asshole in the woods." As he said the words, Jasper reached out and gently cupped Melody's still-bruised cheek. The pain had all but faded, but it was enough of a reminder. "Not to mention the fact that you put your own life on the line more than once. For me and Charlotte both."

Memories flooded Melody's mind as Jasper brought up the selfless things she had done. It had been less than 24 hours since Charlotte's death, but it already seemed like an ancient tragedy. Time on Earth was much different than time on the Ark. There was little room for dwelling on things which was why they'd all but forgotten about the recent events.

With the memories came the faint feeling of protectiveness that Melody had felt each and every time she'd put herself between the enemy and her friends. What Jasper said was true; she _was_ a protector. It was in her nature. When she'd stabbed Murphy it was to protect Jasper. When she'd been prepared to go up against Charlotte's pursuers, it was to protect the frightened little girl that reminded Melody so much of her younger self. And when she had killed Jason, it was to protect her mother and herself.

But it didn't change the fact that murder was murder.

"Jasper…" Melody started to protest, but there wasn't anything _to_ protest. Everything he'd said was the truth.

"What did he _do_, Melody?" Jasper pressed, his voice firmer this time. "How did you know him?"

Melody knew that he expected an answer now. Part of her wanted to tell Jasper what had really gone down that day on the Ark. She wanted to -for the first time- confide in someone. Another part of her was too ashamed of what had happened. And in return ashamed of what she had done. Melody knew, though, that Jasper wouldn't lash out at her or laugh or react in a way that would make her regret spilling her guts.

A sigh of defeat left Melody's lips as she looked up at Jasper with that seemingly permanent scowl etched onto her face. "He was my mother's boyfriend." Melody admitted softly. "For probably eight or nine years."

The news surprised Jasper, but then again everything out of Melody's mouth seemed to surprise him. Although his eyes widened and his eyebrows shot up, Jasper remained silent as he let Melody speak her piece. It was hard not to immediately react, but Jasper managed to control himself. He was the type of guy who listened and heard you out before drawing assumptions. And that -along with his relentless pleading- was why Melody had chosen to talk to him.

The old feeling of nostalgia rendered Melody almost speechless. Her initial response when Jason was mentioned was to close up and shut down. The pain that accompanied the majority of her childhood memories had always been overwhelming, which was why she didn't enjoy talking about her life before the Sky Box. Today, Melody forced herself to power through that familiar feeling of discomfort and continue on with her story.

"Jason was great to me." Melody continued in the same quiet tone. She didn't see the point in lying about anything. It would be so easy to paint a picture of the monster Jason ended up turning into, but Melody had no desire to taint his memory. He hadn't always been bad. At least not to her. "Really great, actually. He helped my mother raise me from the time I was three or four. Jason was the closest thing I ever had to a father. I _adored_ him."

Melody found that saying the words aloud was not nearly as painful as thinking them to herself. It actually made her feel a bit better to get the words off of her chest. "Jason wasn't perfect. But he made me happy and he made my mother happy and that was all that mattered to me. Our family was a bit broken, but it was salvageable. We welcomed him in without a second thought."

Melody was getting off topic, but it was like she had a sudden case of word vomit. Once she started talking about everything it was hard to stop. The good memories and the bad memories went hand in hand. Not only was she informing Jasper, but she was reminding herself.

"So this Jason guy was with your mom." Jasper summarized. "And he was really good to you." When Melody nodded in confirmation, Jasper frowned and shook his head slightly. "I'm missing a piece of the puzzle."

Melody sighed softly and nodded once more before continuing. "Jason was really good to me…at first. He was a better role model than I could have asked for. He was strong and powerful and brave. He's the one who taught me everything I know. He's the reason I'm _me._" That last statement had a deeper undertone than Jasper wouldn't catch. Jason was the reason Melody had turned into the person she was; a fighter.

"Things changed, though." Continued Melody. "When I was about twelve I started to notice a lot more. Like how my mom always seemed to shrink into herself when Jason was around. Then I noticed the bruises that she could no longer hide from me. And I realized that there was more to Jason than what laid on the surface."

"When I was thirteen I decided to take matters into my own hands." Melody admitted with a frown as she cast her eyes downward. The next part of the story required minimal eye contact. "I was finally old enough to start working in the factory with my mother. I was still too young for anyone to recruit me for another station, so I put all of my energy into learning about mass production. I guess I figured that if I could help out, we wouldn't need Jason to provide for us anymore. And then he would leave us alone."

"But he didn't." Jasper guessed quietly.

"He didn't." Confirmed Melody with a slight shake of her head. "I went to see him in his office one day to tell him that he didn't have to take care of us anymore. He didn't take it very well…"

Melody drew in a ragged breath and turned her eyes towards Jasper once more. The concern she saw on his face was enough to make Melody want to burst into tears. The fact that he was actually listening to her made Mel's heart swell with happiness and love. The urge to curl up into Jasper and hide away forever was very tempting at the moment, but Melody squelched that impulse immediately. Now that her backstory was out in the open, she needed Jasper to _know_.

The boy's voice was a hushed whisper when he found the right words to say. "What did he do to you?"

Melody swallowed the lump in her throat and focused her attention on the cracks in the floor before she spoke again. "First he got angry and he yelled at me. Told me that he'd done an awful lot for me and that it was time for me to give him something in return." Jasper's sharp intake of breath told Melody that he caught the meaning behind her words. Still, she continued to explain. It was something she had to do.

"When I tried to tell him that there was nothing I could do, he hit me." Remembering that day, Melody's hand fluttered upwards to gently brush her bruised cheek. The next set of words seemed stuck in her throat. It took several moments of clearing her throat before Melody could whisper the words that she'd never dared to say aloud.

"And then he raped me."

|oOo|

Jasper Jordan had never felt anything compared to the all-consuming rage that suddenly flooded through his entire body as he looked down at the broken girl in front of him. The sight of her looking so helpless and vulnerable unleashed a side of Jasper that he'd never known was there. A side of him that was a raw and savage. A side that craved destruction and anarchy.

Jasper hadn't known Melody for very long. In fact, he had known her for only a matter of weeks; during which he had spent countless days either missing or unconscious. However, in just those few short weeks he had come to know and care for the immensely. There was no denying the bond that had quickly formed between the two of them. It was a bond that Jasper didn't really understand, but one that he didn't question. There was just something about them that had clicked. And the rest was history.

At first Jasper had seen Melody as nothing more than some scared little girl. There was this look of terror in her eyes that had tugged at his heartstrings. That was why he'd held her hand on the dropship and told her that everything was going to be okay. The ride had been rough, and through it all Jasper had found himself with this unexplainable urge to make sure Melody was alright. And then when they had landed, Jasper was so caught up in the exuberance of it all that he had -literally- swept the girl off of her feet; the boldness of his actions was _very_ uncommon. But he'd gotten the feeling that it was something he _had_ to do. They'd survived the landing and Jasper wanted nothing more than to include her in that little victory.

There had never really been any question about accepting Melody into his and Monty's lives. They both just kind of knew that she _belonged_ with them. Melody had sealed the deal when she had tagged along on the trip to Mount Weather. In just a matter of hours Melody had integrated into their lives so easily that it was strange to think she hadn't been there the whole time. Even when things got tough, Melody had been there. She had risked her life to find him and bring him back to the camp. And then she'd watched over him like his very own guardian angel. She'd _stabbed_ a guy for him. Melody Pond -all 5'4 inches and 100 pounds of her- had gone head to head with John Murphy and _won._

Jasper was amazed.

In a lot of ways, Melody had been Jasper's glue. She had been the one there to hold things together. Never once had she given up on him. And in a way, she'd been Monty's glue, too. When Jasper's best friend had lost nearly all hope, Melody was there to remind him that they had to keep going. All it took was those three little words from her mouth and everything was magically better. _We are Apache. _

Melody Pond may have killed a man, but she was no murderer.

If Jasper had to describe Melody he would use the word _loyal_. When it came down to it, Melody would be there through thick and thin. Jasper now understood how hard it was for Melody to open herself up to people. He saw the fear of rejection shimmering in her eyes and it struck a chord deep inside of him.

_She doesn't think she's worth it. _

The truth of the matter dawned on him suddenly and Jasper felt sick to his stomach. Melody, the girl who tried to save them all, was the one who truly needed the saving. This was a girl who beamed at a few kind words and could be destroyed with just a few spiteful ones. She was stronger than all of them put together, but she was also weaker than any of them had realized. And with good reason.

"Melody…" When Jasper spoke his voice came out strained. He didn't know what words would console her. He didn't know how to heal her broken spirit.

"You don't have to tell me you're sorry, Jasper." Melody whispered, still not meeting his gaze.

Jasper struggled to find the right words. "You didn't deserve it." He said slowly, shaking his head angrily. "He got what was coming to him."

"I know." Her reply was less than convincing.

Jasper reached out and his arms wrapped his arms around the smaller girl's form. When he tugged Melody towards his body she came willingly. With his arms enveloping her in a protective cocoon, the girl completely crumbled. Loud sobbing filled the dropship as Melody clutched at the fabric of Jasper's shirt and buried her head in his chest. The boy's chin rested comfortable on the top of Melody's head as he held her sobbing body close to his.

"Shhh." Jasper soothed, gently running his fingers through the mass of red hair that hung down Melody's back. "It's going to be okay, Melody." Silently, he added the words, _I promise. _

Jasper didn't mind holding Melody while she cried. Although he wished he could cure her of this sadness, he just couldn't. The least he _could_ do was make sure she didn't have to go through this alone anymore.

Having the weight of something that heavy on his shoulders was not something Jasper could imagine. What Melody had gone through was nothing like the rest of the sob stories he'd heard around camp. People complained about their parents being floated or living in poverty or how they were just so _misunderstood._ Melody hadn't complained even once and she had to deal with all of the above and then some. She was probably the bravest person Jasper had ever met.

When Melody finally regained some of her composure, she pulled away from Jasper and stared up at him with worried eyes. "Who else knows?" She wondered, sniffling as she asked the question.

Jasper looked down at Melody with a frown, not wanting to say anything that would make things worse. In the end, though, he had to be honest with her. "Clarke told me and Monty when they got back. I'm assuming Finn knows and that new girl, Raven. Bellamy knows, too."

Melody nodded her head and Jasper was glad that he seemed to have said the right thing. It was obvious that Melody didn't want the entire camp to know about the reason for her imprisonment. Jasper could understand that. Some things were meant to be private.

"I'm sure more people know. I bet Bellamy's having a hay day with this." Melody muttered as she pulled away from Jasper and began to dry her eyes.

"You think he'd tell everyone?" Jasper was surprised by her assumption.

Bellamy was a jerk, yeah, but Jasper didn't think he was _cruel. _And last he knew, Bellamy and Melody had been on good terms. The two of them had clashed in the beginning, apparently. Jasper hadn't been awake to see any of it first-hand, but Monty had eagerly filled him in. Over time though they had formed what Jasper assumed was an alliance.

It was during the fight that Jasper had seen the relationship between Bellamy and Melody. When Mel had gone in for the kill, Bellamy had pulled her away. The fact that the girl just _let _him was the first clue. When Melody had gotten hit, Bellamy had immediately dropped everything and went running. That was the second clue. The poor guy had spent more than an hour pacing around outside of the dropship while Clarke tended to Melody. That was the third and final clue.

The alliance between the two of them had been present when they'd set out to find Charlotte. Jasper didn't know what happened out there, but it seemed to bring the two of them even closer. Hell, Jasper would have thought they were borderline _friends. _But then Melody had gone off into the woods with Clarke and Finn and returned a whole new person.

Melody laughed bitterly at Jasper's question, as if he were missing something obvious. "Why wouldn't he? He's the one that told Clarke, after all."

That bit of information was news to Jasper.

"How did he even know? Did you tell him?" Jasper asked the question almost accusingly and immediately regretted it when he saw the angry look on Melody's face.

"Of course not!" She snapped at him. "He already knew. He was apparently in the guard when I was arrested."

"So he knew about the killing from the beginning. And he was using it as what…leverage?" Jasper watched as Melody nodded, growing angrier as he pieced everything together aloud. "And he outed you to Clarke."

Melody's gaze lowered to the ground once more and she nodded solemnly. "Yeah."

"That bastard!"

Jasper turned away from Melody and was making his way quickly towards the ladder, fueled completely by his anger. The _nerve_ of that guy. Bellamy had to have known what Clarke's take on this would be. After all, she was always preaching about how every life counted and how they didn't get to choose he lived or died. Bellamy knew that she would resent Melody for what she had done. And he'd outed her to save his own skin.

Jasper recalled the angry way Clarke had informed him of Melody's crimes against the Ark. She'd been angry at Melody for not telling them sooner and she had been angry at herself for reacting poorly. Clarke was the kind of girl to get all worked up over something and lash out verbally. And if Jasper had to guess, that was the reason for Melody's countless hours of sobbing by herself in the upper level.

Suddenly, he resented Clarke just as much as he did Bellamy.

"Jasper, wait!" Melody called out as she followed behind him. "What are you going to do?" She asked anxiously as she bent beside the hatch and watched Jasper's descending figure.

Jasper paused and looked up at Melody, still clinging to the rungs of the ladder. She looked so nervous that it puzzled him for a moment. Until he realized that she was nervous for _him._ Like always, Melody was worrying about others before she worried about herself. And that only made his need to defend her grow.

"I'm going to give Bellamy Blake a piece of my mind." Announced Jasper.

He lowered himself down the last few rungs of the ladder until he felt his feet touch the floor. Thankfully, Melody didn't object or try to follow him. Jasper turned on his heel and began heading for the camp with a determined look about him.

Everyone was busily preparing to launch some flares that Raven had found in the cargo pod. People assembled stands for the flares and were positioning them in a straight line. Jasper had heard Clarke say that if they sent a signal to the Ark then they wouldn't have to kill all of those people to conserve oxygen. But that was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment.

It didn't take Jasper long to spot Bellamy. He was standing with among the group of delinquents as they prepared to launch the flares. Jasper had barely made it to the group when the first flare was lit. Everyone watched in amazement as the purple-red burst of light shot for the sky. A loud, booming noise filled the air as it exploded. Several others quickly followed suit, with each of them exploding in a burst of color.

They watched long after the last flare had exploded in the sky. When people finally did begin to disperse, Jasper approached Bellamy. The older male eyed him wearily and stood in a defensive position with both arms tightly crossed over his chest and a scowl plastered across his face.

"What do you want, Jasper?" Bellamy asked, habitually looking around to make sure no one was going to be listening in on their conversation.

"I want to know who the hell you think you are." The harsh words were out of Jasper's mouth before he could even stop them. His rather aggressive behavior was so out of character that even Bellamy raised his eyebrows in shock.

"Excuse me?" Bellamy's tone was low and threatening as his eyes narrowed slightly.

"I'm talking about Melody." Jasper said, as if it should have been obvious. Why else would he waste his time trying to talk to Bellamy?

"You don't know _what_ you're talking about, Goggles." Bellamy's voice took on a darker tone as he stepped closer to Jasper.

"I think I do." Countered Jasper as he refused to back down. It was the first time that he had ever stood up to their dauntless leader. Jasper doubted it would end well for him, but he knew that it was worth it. When Melody was concerned, it was _always_ worth it.

"Oh yeah?" Bellamy looked down at Jasper with a scowl. "So you're telling me you know she murdered the doctor?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Jasper's confident words seemed to surprise Bellamy who suddenly looked taken aback.

"She told you?" Bellamy's voice changed suddenly. It was a bit softer when he spoke of Melody, which confused the hell out of Jasper. Did he honestly think they were still friends after all of this?

"Of course she did." Snapped Jasper. "She told me _all_ of it."

Bellamy lifted his chin slightly and suddenly he looked more curious than angry. He obviously understood that Jasper knew something he didn't. And that didn't settle well with Bellamy. "What do you mean '_all of it_'?" Bellamy wondered with a frown. "Melody killed the doctor when she was thirteen. End of story."

Jasper shook his head and laughed, the sound void of any and all humor. Did Bellamy really think it was as simple as that? Even _he_ had to know that Melody Pond was anything but simple. And did he really think she just woke up one day and decided that it would be fun to kill a doctor? That was ridiculous.

"_Not_ end of story." Jasper argued, his voice much more serious than usual. "There's a reason behind why she killed the doctor."

Bellamy stilled suddenly as the words washed over him. It seemed that he hadn't thought about the reason behind Melody's actions. He had been too absorbed in the crime itself to factor anything else into the equation.

"Why?" Bellamy demanded quickly, frowning at Jasper. It was obvious that he didn't like being out of the loop.

Jasper just shook his head once more and gave Bellamy a look of disbelief. "Did you really think she just _murdered_ the guy for no reason? Have you even _met_ Melody?" The disgust in Jasper's voice was evident and he made no attempt to hide it.

"Why?" Bellamy asked again, his glower hardening as Jasper avoided the question. Being in the dark was becoming increasingly frustrating.

"I mean, come on. Melody is the one who defends us. She's spent every waking minute on Earth trying to protect everyone she can. Me, Octavia, Charlotte…" Jasper trailed off and gave Bellamy a confused glance. "Do you think she'd do that if she was a _murderer_?"

"Damn it, Jasper!" Bellamy lunged forward and grabbed Jasper by the collar of his shirt. He yanked the boy forward until their faces were just inches apart. "_Why _did she kill him?"

Jasper paused at Bellamy's question, frowning up at him silently. It hadn't occurred to him until now that the reason behind Melody's actions were extremely personal. Jasper knew that she didn't want it to get around camp. Melody was ashamed of what had happened to her. He could tell by the way she'd described the whole experience. And although it wasn't his secret to share, Jasper knew that Bellamy had to _know._ He needed to know exactly what had happened to Melody. He needed to know just how badly he had screwed up by opening his big mouth.

"The guy was like her dad, Bellamy." Jasper said lowly, not surprised by Bellamy's confused frown. "He and her mom had been together for a really long time. He practically raised Melody from the time she was a toddler."

"Why are you telling me this?" Bellamy wondered, shaking his head in confusion. "This has nothing to do with why she killed him."

"This has _everything_ to do with why she killed him." Jasper finally managed to pull away from Bellamy's grip. Smoothing down his wrinkled shirt, Jasper narrowed his gaze at Bellamy before continuing. "Melody loved the guy. And apparently he was great to her, but a real dick to her mother. Beat her and stuff."

Bellamy looked surprised and slightly angry at the sudden revelation about Doctor Evans. Apparently it hadn't occurred to him that the doctor might not be totally innocent.

"And that's why Melody killed him?" Assumed Bellamy. "Because he was rough with her mom?"

"He wasn't _rough, _Bellamy. He left bruises; lots of them." Jasper said seriously. And then he shook his head sadly. "But no, that's not why she killed him."

"Then why, Jasper?" Bellamy was growing increasingly angry, but he was going to stick around for the end of the story. "I don't have time for you to give me some sob story about how Melody had it rough growing up. I want to know why she killed him."

"She stood up to him." Jasper was curt, his own impatience showing. "Tried to tell him that they didn't want him around anymore. The guy got really pissed and roughed her up. And then he…" The words seemed to get stuck in Jasper's throat.

Bellamy's gaze darkened immediately. Jasper would have sworn that there was an angry and almost _protective_ edge to his voice when he asked the next question. "What did he do to her?"

"He raped her." There was no emotion in Jasper's voice when he spoke this time. It was a complete monotone; it was empty. "And then he just tossed her away like she was nothing. Told her that he'd be home in time for dinner. Went about his merry fucking way and left Melody on the floor in his office."

There was no denying the anger in Bellamy's gaze now. There was underlying shame as well, but Jasper hardly saw it. If Jasper thought _he _was mad…Bellamy Blake looked absolutely murderous. He cursed loudly and slammed his fist against the nearest tree.

"Damn it!" Roared Bellamy, causing several people to stare at him curiously. "I didn't know what happened to her. I just thought…" Bellamy trailed off, because even he didn't know what he thought.

Jasper thought that seeing Bellamy like this would make him feel satisfied. Instead, it only fueled the hatred that burned deep inside his belly. Hatred for a man that was long since dead. And by Melody's hand, nonetheless. As if she should have to live with the guilt of the doctor's death on her shoulders on top of all the suffering he'd already caused her.

"You didn't think." Said Jasper boldly. "You were just trying to put the heat on someone else. And because of that, you hurt her. Bad."

Bellamy didn't even bother denying it. Instead, he just looked at Jasper seriously and shook his head slowly. "I didn't mean to hurt her."

The sincerity of his words caused Jasper to pause. It became apparent then that Bellamy Blake was actually _ashamed._ The guilt was tearing him up. _That_ brought Jasper a bit of satisfaction, but not much. And the only reason he wasn't fully satisfied was because Bellamy would _never_ feel as bad as Melody did. He would never feel the full consequence of his actions.

"But you _did_." Jasper pointed out.

"I _know_ that." Bellamy's voice went from angry to pleading in a matter of moments. "Tell me how I can make this up to her."

Jasper's eyes widened in surprise. Bellamy Blake was actually trying to make _amends._ Jasper wished that he could help the guy out, but he didn't know if anything could make up for what Bellamy had done to Melody. The girl was crushed.

"I don't know. She's not the forgive and forget type." Jasper admitted with a helpless little shrug.

"_Please_, Jasper." Bellamy's voice was low and now he was flat out begging. That alone let Jasper know just how desperate he was to make things right.

But _why_?

Jasper thought for a few moments before speaking. "She's going to crawl out of bed tomorrow and act like this whole thing never even happened. But it _did._ And she's going to insist that there's nothing wrong. _She's a liar_."

Bellamy tried to follow Jasper's words, but he only ended up confusing himself. "Okay. What does that have to do with me making it up to her?" Wondered Bellamy with a frown.

Jasper sighed loudly and crossed his arms over his chest. "_Everything_." He said seriously, emphasizing the word to make sure Bellamy understood. When the male nodded, Jasper continued. "Melody hates feeling weak. She's not about to let you see the effect this is having on her. She's the protector, not the protectee…And that's her problem."

Bellamy nodded slowly once more. "Okay." He understood that much; Melody hadn't showed even the slightest inkling of weakness before today. "So what do I do?"

"You need to teach her how to protect _herself_."

**Such emotions. Such intensity. Such vagueness there at the end…Oops. Aaaaanyways, let me know what you guys think. Especially about the POV change for the second half of the chapter. I enjoyed delving into Jasper's mind. Did you enjoy reading it? **


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

It seemed like Melody had barely even closed her eyes when she was slowly blinking awake once more, enveloped in both tranquility and silence as she lay curled up on her half of the small cot. For a few moments the world seemed to stand still around her. The birds did not chirp, the other campers didn't stir, and for just a handful of seconds Melody could almost pretend that she was the only person on the face of the Earth.

It was easy to pretend. All Melody had to do was close her eyes and simply think, _I'm alone here. _And then everything else would just fade into the background. Her imagination would need no convincing in order to create wild and vivid scenarios in her mind. These phantom situations would bend and contour themselves to Melody's every whim and desire. Just like that, Melody had the ability to dream while she was awake.

But that was all they were; daydreams.

Soon the sound of Jasper's steady breathing accompanied by Monty's gentle snores dragged Melody back down to Earth. For a few moments she just laid there and listened to the lulling sounds that made her feel so _at home. _The girl then sighed contentedly as she pulled the blankets up to her chin and allowed her eyes to flutter shut once more. There was no hope for sleep; sleep lead to darker and sinister things. All Melody wanted was a few more peaceful moments before she would be forced to face reality.

_I live in a world of fantasy, so keep your reality away from me. _

Melody didn't recall where she had heard the quote, but she found it rather fitting given her current situation. Reality had never been so hard to face before. All Melody wanted to do was hide deep within the wildest depths of her imagination; but hiding was not an option.

_You're a protector. It's what you do._

Jasper's words echoed in Melody's mind. It seemed that the boy always knew the right words to say without even trying. Any time Melody even thought about escaping into her own mind, those words were there to snap her back to reality. If Melody wasn't there to protect the rest of them, who would? Once again Jasper had reminded her of her purpose and saved Melody from herself.

After confronting Bellamy, Jasper had gone back to the dropship and convinced Melody to spend the night in his tent. Although she was no longer sobbing and dwelling over things, it was obvious that Melody was in no state to be left alone. She was hurting and in dire need of a good hug. The softer side of Jasper had come out once more and he felt the need to take the girl under his wing and nurse her back to health.

And that was exactly what he did.

They'd spent the whole night talking. Melody was a bit reluctant at first, but she found that every time she talked about what had happened it made things seem a bit more bearable. It seemed that each time the story was told and re-told that mischievous sparkle in her eye gleamed brighter and brighter. And every time Jasper and Monty reassured Melody that they didn't resent her for hiding the secret, she became a bit more confident. By the end of the night, Jasper no longer saw the shell of a girl who'd hidden herself away in the dropship. He only saw the woman she'd always been.

It only seemed natural that Jasper should be the one to help Melody out in her time of need. After all, she would have -and had- done the same thing for him. While Melody had feared the revelation of what she had done to Jason would weaken their bond, it only seemed to have made it stronger.

With that thought in mind, Melody rolled over and was surprised when she found herself gazing into the warmest set of brown eyes she'd ever seen. An involuntary smile quickly spread across her face as she saw that Jasper was just waking, with glossy, sleep-filled eyes and a silly little smile in place.

"Hey." Melody's whisper was soft, so as not to wake the other boy in the tent. Monty was still snoring away happily, and Melody didn't want to disturb him.

"Hi." Jasper's voice was low and groggy as he rubbed both fists against his eyes. After blinking a few times, his gaze fell back on Melody and he gave her a small smile. "You're not a bad sight to wake up to y'know."

A breathless laugh escaped the girl and a slight red hue tinted her cheeks. The words sent a dash of pride straight to Melody's heart and then she was practically beaming. Mel definitely wasn't used to being complimented in such a way. People complimented on her strength, her smarts, her wit…but not her looks.

Melody Pond was not an ugly girl. Beneath her never-ending scowl and permanent grimace laid a reasonably cute face. And although Melody's features may have been seen as "plain" by some, there was a beautiful simplicity about her looks. Ivory skin, full lips, and high cheekbones that she had inherited from her mother. Reddish-orange hair, a straight nose, and mossy-green eyes that she had inherited from her father. The combination of her parents' features had left Melody with a unique look all her own.

"Don't get used to this." Melody warned jokingly as she pulled herself upright into a sitting position. Absently, she ran a hand through the thick mass of red hair that was sticking out every which way. "My heart belongs to another."

Jasper's gaze narrowed playfully and immediately swung in the direction of his tent-mate, who was still fast asleep. "I knew it!" Exclaimed Jasper in a mock-whisper as he pointed an accusing finger at Monty. "Thou hath stolen the heart of the fair maiden." And then he added, "Betrayed by my own brother."

Melody erupted into a fit of giggles at Jasper's words, earning her a wide grin from her companion. The thought of Monty stealing Melody's heart was so _preposterous._ She loved the boy deeply, but in a way that was completely innocent. Nevertheless, Melody found herself playing into Jasper's little game.

"Tis true." Agreed Melody, her voice raising an octave or two as she did her best to match Jasper's manner of speaking. It was ancient dialect, but Shakespeare's era was still remembered by the people of the Ark…barely. "My heart belongs to Montgomery Green of Farm Station." Melody's grin turned wicked as she looked back towards Jasper with a wide and innocent gaze. "I truly hope we can still be friends."

One hand flew up and clutched at his chest while the other was draped dramatically over his eyes. Jasper let out an exasperated groan as he fell backwards on the bed. "Hit right where it hurts!" Jasper exclaimed loudly, grimacing. "The old '_We can still be friends' _bit. Oldest line in the book."

"I thought the oldest line in the book was, '_It's not you, it's me._'" Melody argued, smirking down at the boy's crumpled form.

"You're right. That one's the worst." Jasper agreed immediately, nodding his head as he pulled his arm away to look up at Melody. "_Please _don't say that." He begged with a disgusted frown. "It might cause me physical pain."

"Hmm. Noted." The impish reply was accompanied by a wicked grin as Melody finally kicked the blankets away and forced herself to climb out of bed.

The boys' tent was a bit smaller than the one she shared with Octavia, but it was set up in a similar manner. The tent was divided by an invisible line down the middle. Each side held one cot and -much like Melody's tent- a small, hand-crafted table for what little personal possessions they may have. It was rather simple, but it was really all anyone needed down here.

Melody walked towards Jasper's table and began rummaging through the clothing there to find something suitable. It took a few moments for her to find a slightly-large jacket that looked like it was the cleanest amongst the boy's things. Doing laundry wasn't exactly a luxury on Earth, so they had to make do with what they had. Well, the boys did anyways; Melody just kind of took from them when she needed to.

As Melody shrugged into the jacket and began to roll up the sleeves, she heard Jasper climb out of the bed they'd been -not easily- sharing. Turning her head slightly, Melody watched as the boy rolled up the blankets and carelessly tossed them into the center of the bed. Then, he flopped back onto it and threw a pillow at Monty's head in an attempt to wake the other boy up. A smile spread across her face as she watched him with ill-disguised humor. He moved around and did things that were so…_teenage._ It was nice to think that throughout all of this, they still managed to have a bit of "normalcy" in their lives.

Jasper grinned as Monty stirred and groaned irritably in his sleep. "Wake up!" He commanded, throwing another pillow in the direction of the other's face. "See our guest home." Teased Jasper, waggling his eyebrows mischievously in Melody's direction. "Home" was just across the camp and she could make it there fine.

Jasper just liked to be _Jasper. _

"I'm up." Mumbled Monty, as he rolled over to face Jasper with a sleepy scowl planted on his face. "Do you have to be such a jackass?"

Melody and Jasper both laughed heartily which eventually caused Monty to crack a smile as well. While the two boys teased each other back and forth, Melody quickly slipped on and laced up her boots. As nice as it was to be in the company of her two best friends, Melody knew that she had to resume business as usual. And that was exactly what she planned on doing.

As if sensing her urgency to get things moving, Monty turned his attention towards Melody. "Morning, Mels." Greeted the boy as he stifled a yawn with one hand. "Sleep well?" Monty pressed, asking the question in a clear attempt to keep Melody around a bit longer.

Melody found that she didn't have to force a smile as she nodded her head. It was then that she realized no nightmares had haunted her dreams. If she had to guess why, Melody would immediately suggest that her lack of nightmares was because of Jasper and Monty. It was hard for Melody not to feel safe whenever she was with the two of them.

"Did you?" Countered Melody as she ran a hand through her hair one final time before crossing both arms over her chest tightly. "I mean, I laid a lot of heavy stuff on you last night. I'm sorry…" She explained sheepishly, her voice tapering off at the end of her apology.

"You don't have to apologize." Monty frowned at Melody and immediately sat up to give her an almost scolding sort of look. "_Never_ apologize. You know you can talk to us about anything."

"Yeah, Mel." Added Jasper as he walked over and gave her a wide and reassuring grin. "It's just what we do. We help our friends when they need it the most."

Melody nodded her head, having finally come to accept the fact that sometimes they would be there whether she wanted them to be or not. The corner of her mouth lifted slightly in a crooked smile as she looked up at Jasper, who had the demeanor of a concerned big brother. Without a second thought, she threw her small arms around Jasper's neck and pulled him close. In return his arms wrapped around her back and held her tightly.

Melody's voice was soft against his ear. "Thank you." The words were simple, but there was an awful lot of emotion behind them. Melody wasn't the best at explaining her feelings. But that was okay, because actions spoke louder than words. Melody's eyes turned towards Monty as she looked at him over Jasper's shoulder. "Both of you."

"Any time." Rather than having gone with the simple, 'You're welcome', Jasper had chosen his words carefully. He wanted Melody to know that he was always going to be there when she needed him to. They both were. "We love you, Mel. And don't you forget that." The words were enunciated as Jasper's arms tightened around her body ever so slightly.

Melody's heart soared at the almost bashful proclamation of_ love_. There was only one person Melody had ever loved before now and that was her mother. To Melody, love wasn't the kind you heard about in fairy tales. It wasn't just about hugging and kissing and romanticizing every little thing; that wasn't _real._ It was about caring deeply for someone else. It was about protecting them and putting their needs before your own. Love wasn't about finding and adoring perfect people; it was about loving the flaws of the imperfect ones. And that was the only way to describe how Melody felt about the two boys in front of her.

It was Monty who ruined the lovey mood with his gentle and teasing reminder. "You two _do_ realize I'm in the room right?" He called out, laughing quietly to himself from across the tent.

Melody and Jasper pulled apart at the sound of Monty's voice. He looked at the two of them with a smirk and waggled his eyebrows devilishly. Melody's eyes rolled in response to Monty's suggestive behavior and a smile spread across her face. Both she and Jasper knew that the boy was only teasing. The thought of any _romantic_ feelings between Melody and Jasper was just out of the question. Their relationship had been strictly platonic from the very beginning. Jasper was like a brother to Melody now, and no amount of hugging or '_I love yous_' was going to change that.

"You do realize you're an idiot right?" Jasper retorted with a grin in the direction of his best friend.

"Yeah, _Idiot._" Taunted Melody, sticking her tongue out at Monty childishly. The urge to giggle washed over Melody and she gave into it, delighting the both of them with girlish peals of laughter. Man, being immature for even just a few moments felt _good._

"You're just jealous that she hugged me and not you." Insisted Jasper.

Neither one of them were prepared for Monty's response.

"And you are just jealous that you don't have what I, Montgomery of Farm Station, has." Announced Monty loudly, his grin growing and lighting up his face. "The heart of the fair maiden."

Melody and Jasper exchanged surprised looks at Monty's words. The playful words had been uttered soon after they woke, when they'd been under the assumption that Monty was succumbing to his beauty rest. For a few moments the three of them were silent as they thought of what had just been said. And then, the trio burst into fits of laughter.

"You _heard_ us?" Cackled Melody as she bent over, forced to place her palms against her thighs for a bit of support. She was laughing so hard that tears were forming in her eyes and threatening to spill over.

"Of course I did!" Monty exclaimed. "You two aren't very good at whispering you know."

"Oh gosh. That's embarrassing." Admitted Jasper, shaking his head with a grin.

"_You're embarrassed?_" Melody asked, her voice shrill. "I'm the one declaring my love for Monty!"

They continued to laugh for a long while. The best thing about being teenagers was that when you got in a group, things weren't so heavy. The weight of the world was still pressing down on their shoulders, but they were able to bypass that and have a good time. Because, for some reason the three of them were able to find humor in the simplest of things. And that was a good trait to have on Earth, when things were typically so grave. Laughing was easier than crying, after all.

After reconsidering her desire to face the real world, Melody waited for both Jasper and Monty to wake up and get moving before she left. It took the boys only a short amount of time to get enough motivation to begin digging through their piles of clothing. Melody may have coaxed them with sweet words, but that didn't matter, because in the end they were up and getting ready just as the sun was rising.

Leaving the boys to get dressed, Melody exited their tent and stepped into reality. Reality was rather bright, and Melody was forced to squint against the sudden onslaught of light as dawn was finally upon them. It took a couple of moments for Melody's eyes to adjust, and once they had she looked around the camp anxiously.

Melody found that many people were beginning to exit their tents already. Daylight wasn't usually wasted considering the fact that after dark no one was allowed outside of camp. There were so few hours in the day and they were typically spent gathering wood, transporting water from the creek, and taking care of things around the camp. Not to mention the fact that there were hunting parties that were frequently sent out and there was a lot of "training" required before then. One way or another they kept busy.

Melody didn't have a specific task. She typically came and went as she pleased, helping out when she was needed and fading into the background when she wasn't. No one really asked Melody for much, though. That was the luxury of handing people their asses when they needed it; no one tried to make you mind the rules. Carson -the boy who'd rattled Jasper and Octavia outside of the walls- was still sporting a split lip and a black eye. Melody's own face was still a faint yellow-ish color although her knuckles had long since healed. Maybe that was partially the reason people left her alone; it added to that "unapproachable" vibe that she apparently gave off.

_Now you're really unapproachable. _Melody thought bitterly, grimacing at the thought of what people may have heard around camp.

To Melody's surprise and relief, no one seemed to be looking at her any differently than before. When she walked slowly towards the dropship several people flashed her smiles as they went about their daily business. Melody suspected they were pity smiles after her recent episode the night before. No one had missed her emotional episode. They all knew she had come into camp crying and that she had refused to see anyone. And while most of them hardly knew her, they all still made the effort to show her some support.

Even big, badass criminals didn't like to see little girls cry.

Melody hadn't intended to make her way into the dropship. In fact, she had planned on avoiding their makeshift infirmary for as long as possible. She had planned on avoiding a certain _doctor _for as long as possible. Clarke's words had left a wound that was still fresh, but already beginning to scab over. And Melody realized now that she couldn't just let the girl get away with the things she said. Confrontation was messy, but it was necessary.

The dropship was relatively empty when Melody walked in. Aside from Clarke there was only one patient who was just getting stitched up. The thing about knives and children was the fact that they didn't mix well. The boy could have only been fourteen or fifteen years old, with a huge gash across his leg from where someone had hit _him_ instead of the target. The boy was taking it like a champ though, with only a slight grimace as Clarke addressed the wound.

"I'll be right with…Oh. Melody." Clarke looked up from her work and a frown immediately marred her sharp features. As those blue eyes darkened, Melody immediately felt herself tense.

"Yeah. Me." Melody said, arms crossing over her chest as she moved further into the room and settled herself into one of the hammocks. Gently, she rocked herself back and forth as she watched Clarke continue her work.

Although noticeably flustered, the young medic continued to put the finishing touches on the boy's wound. And despite Melody's intrusive gaze, Clarke didn't screw up even once. In a matter of minutes she had finished up with the boy and sent him on his merry way, after he promised to take it easy. As if _that_ was going to happen. He was a teenage boy and the world was his playground.

It was just the two of them now, face-to-face. Clarke was standing in the center of the room, wearily watching Melody. And Mel sat in one of the strung-up hammocks with her intense gaze pin-pointed on Clarke. No words were spoken for a while as they just stared at each other, as if sizing up their opponents.

Melody had to admit that she didn't see Clarke in quite the same light anymore. While she greatly cared for the blonde doctor, Melody no longer felt as she had in the beginning. There wasn't that magnetism anymore. For the first few weeks Melody had felt drawn towards her friends by some unseen force. Jasper, Monty, Finn, Octavia, and Clarke had attracted Melody to them like a moth to a flame. It was because of their ability to accept -not reject- broken things. It was because of their ability to see _beyond_ the flaws of the world and accept the beauty that still laid there. And now, Melody slowly felt that magnetism fade.

It was no secret that Melody admired Clarke's courage. The girl was strong and she was intelligent and she had all the traits of a good leader. There was no one that Melody would rather follow. But Clarke could also be rather close-minded and blind to her own inexperience. While Melody saw people as being complex and capable of change, Clarke allowed herself to identify them by a single error. The words '_forgive and forget_' were not in Clarke's vocabulary. She did not seem capable of letting go; it didn't appear like she even _wanted_ to. And for that, Melody detested her.

"Did you come for an apology?" Clarke wondered aloud. From her weary tone of voice, it was obvious that even if Melody sought an apology she wasn't going to get one.

Melody immediately curbed that suggestion. "I don't want an apology, Clarke." She insisted with a shake of her head. And it was the truth; _I'm sorry_ was just something most people said to make themselves feel better. "I'm not here to beg you for forgiveness. And I'm not going to ask you to be my friend. I'm going to tell you exactly what I think and then I'm going to leave."

Surprise flicked across Clarke's face at Melody's straight-forward words. The only time Melody "spoke her mind" around Clarke was whenever someone had made her angry and Melody was laying into them. In fact, Melody and Clarke had never really spoken as friends. Only as allies working towards the same goal. This new side of Melody -the side willing to make herself known with strong words rather than strong actions- was a side that Clarke had never seen.

"Alright." Agreed Clarke with an accepting nod. "I'm willing to hear whatever you need to say to me."

"The listen up." Melody advised boldly, not bothering to waste even a moment as she _finally _got the chance to voice her feelings. "First of all, the fact that you accused me of pretending to be your friend, which I_ wasn't_, pissed me off. And then you compared me to the _council._ The Ark's personal assembly of Grim Reapers." The disgust that laced Melody's tone was ill-disguised as she spoke about the members of the council.

Clarke opened her mouth to object almost immediately. "You-"

"Killed a guy." Melody cut her off abruptly. "Yeah, I know."

"And I'm supposed to forgive you for that?" Clarke's voice was almost angry as she stared at Melody. Angry and hurt; two emotions that Melody knew all too well.

"It isn't your place to _forgive _me, Clarke. On the Ark, I didn't know you and you didn't know me. Whatever happened up there was long before we became friends." Pointed out Melody with a frown. "You either accept me or you don't."

A rush of pride shot through Melody as she found herself talking with reason and determination. It was the first time she'd had a rational conversation with...well, _anyone. _Melody had never been the type of girl who wanted to talk about her feelings. But with the help of Monty and Jasper, Melody realized that some things had to be said. If she wasn't honest then how could she expect honesty in return? And Melody had to admit that discussing things was a bit nicer than just attacking anyone who pissed her off.

"And if I can't accept what you've done?" Clarke asked quietly. Her voice had taken on a strange, gentle tone that Melody hadn't heard before. "Then we can't be friends?"

A frown now marred Melody's own face as she slowly shook her head. "If you can't accept _all_ of me, then don't try to accept any of me."

"It's not that simple, Melody." Objected Clarke. "Some things just can't be overlooked."

"You seem to overlook things when it's convenient." Melody said coolly, her eyebrows raising slightly as if daring Clarke to deny it.

"What things?" Clarke was truly puzzled and defensive when she lowered her eyebrows and turned her lips downwards into a scowl.

"Betrayals." The one-word response was simple.

Clarke frowned and shook her head, still confused by Melody's vagueness. "I don't know what you're talking about, Melody."

"I'm talking about the fact that Bellamy was willing to steal that radio _after _you warned us the Ark was running out of oxygen." Melody's voice was sharper than intended as her anger threatened to boil over the edges of its boundaries. "And how you still look at Finn like he's God's greatest gift when he _used_ you to pass the time before his girlfriend got down here." That one was harsh, but Melody felt that she needed to say it. Clarke had to see her double-standards.

Clarke's eyes darkened with anger and her mouth formed an "o" shape as if she were surprised or offended by Melody's words. Probably both, considering the fact that Melody had blatantly accused her of playing favorites.

"That's not fair…" Clarke's protest was weak. And Melody understood why it wasn't _fair_; because Clarke loved Finn and Bellamy was her co-captain. In Clarke's eyes, the two of them were too important to do anything that resulted in her seeing them as less than what they really were. Whereas Melody was just another delinquent.

"What isn't fair is how you treat me versus how you treat them." Melody wasn't going to back down on this matter. Clarke was too stubborn to see things from Melody's perspective and Melody was too proud to be silenced now. "If you don't want to be my friend, I won't blame you. But you need to get off of your high horse and realize that Earth is not the Ark. Down here we're all pretty equal. Don't let the title get to your head, _Princess." _

Satisfied with her argument, Melody stood up and exited the dropship. A feeling of pride and accomplishment washed over the girl and she couldn't stop the wide grin that formed on her face. It was then that she realized exactly what she was doing; slaying her demons. Melody was going toe-to-toe with her past and she was kicking its sorry ass.

_Melody one, Demons zero. _

Caught up in the rush that accompanied Melody's discussion with Clarke, she hardly noticed the fact that Bellamy Blake was approaching her at a brisk pace. Green eyes were filled with laughter as they trailed slowly around the camp before coming to a stop on Bellamy's solemn looking face. Melody's expression sobered immediately and her defense mechanisms were in place once more. Hard eyes, a weary frown, and both arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Although she didn't want to be faced with Bellamy so soon after confronting Clarke, Melody knew that she couldn't run away from the boy. She had woken up this morning with a determination to face reality once more. And that's what she was going to do. With her chin raised proudly, Melody moved forward swiftly and met Bellamy in the middle.

"Melody." His voice was gruff as he greeted her with a rather neutral expression.

"Bellamy." Melody tried to mimic his monotone, but it was rather hard. Instead she just sounded like someone who was half-way between annoyed and vexed. "What do you want?"

The male wasn't surprised by her bluntness. Partially because that was how Melody acted all of the time, and partially because Jasper had warned him that Melody was going to come back fiercer than ever. And if Bellamy was being completely honest, he liked the more savage side of Melody Pond.

Instead of responding to her question, Bellamy just wrapped his fingers around Melody's wrist and tugged her off to the side of the dropship. Melody didn't bother to resist, because she was more than used to the way Bellamy took it upon himself to man-handle her. It was one of his many annoying habits. Another annoying habit of his was how he always ended up scolding her when they were out of the public's eye.

"I didn't do anything, Bellamy. And I'm not in the mood." Melody said immediately, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice this time. "So if you're here to lecture me, you've got another thing coming." The warning was serious. Melody was no longer willing to put up with being treated like a child. She was expected to act like an adult and therefore she would be given the proper amount of credibility and respect. Otherwise, she would revert to her juvenile and violence-prone ways.

Bellamy rolled his eyes and released Melody. "Calm down, tiger." He said lowly, mimicking her defensive position; cautious eyes, tight-lipped frown, and crossed arms. "I brought you here to apologize."

Melody couldn't help the unladylike snort that she uttered. "_Riiiight_. And you have something against public apologies?" Demanded Melody with a wide sweep of her arm towards the secluded area and the miles of forest that surrounded them on three sides. Granted there was a wall between them and the majority of the forest, but that didn't make much of a difference; seclusion was seclusion.

"No one would know why I was apologizing." Bellamy scowled at Melody and shrugged his shoulders slightly. It was as if the thought of bringing their problems into the middle of camp had never even occurred to him.

"Well let's get this over with." Melody said simply, pausing briefly to roll up the sleeves of her borrowed jacket. The material was loose on her small form, but the jacket was comfortable and it smelled good, like Jasper. The scent was clinging to Melody and it smelled of pine, green and happiness; three of Melody's favorite things.

The older male stilled suddenly and looked down at Melody with a frown. His eyes ran over her body shortly as he took in her appearance for what must have been the first time. Like any other day, Melody was dressed simply. She wore a pair of blue jeans, her black combat boots, and a black jacket over her faded tee-shirt.

"What are you wearing?" Bellamy wondered aloud, his eyes lingering on the jacket for just a moment longer than anything else.

"A jacket." Melody deadpanned, resisting the urge to roll her eyes at his nosiness.

"Where's _your_ jacket?" The tone in which Bellamy asked the question was almost annoyed. As if _he_ should be the one annoyed. One hand shot out and wrapped itself up within the offending article of clothing; Melody's borrowed jacket.

"In the tent." Melody scowled at Bellamy and took a step backwards, causing the male to release his grip on her clothes. "I borrowed Jasper's. It's a little big." Melody shrugged her shoulders in explanation before shoving her hands into her pockets.

"Do you need a new one?" Asked Bellamy abruptly. "There's extras in the dropship."

"Trying to buy my affections, are you?" Melody's eyebrows were raised in both amusement and surprise. Since when did Bellamy Blake _care_ so much? "Well, it isn't going to work. Now why am I here?"

"You need a jacket that fits you properly, Melody. It's almost winter and it's going to get cold. Unless you have your own jacket you're going to freeze. Besides, you shouldn't be-"

"Aha!" Exclaimed Melody as she pointed an accusing finger in Bellamy's direction. "I knew this was a lecture."

A loud huff escaped Bellamy and it was obvious that he was trying to keep his cool. "Melody, I'm just saying-"

"No, Bellamy. _I'm just saying._" Melody's voice was now more serious as she frowned up at him. "You can't just flip a switch and suddenly be my friend. So say your piece and then leave me alone."

Bellamy's gaze darkened in irritation as he looked down at the much smaller girl. Melody returned his glare tit-for-tat. She wasn't just some little girl and she refused to be treated as such. If she wanted to freeze to death this winter, that was her own business. It wasn't Bellamy's place to care for her. You aren't allowed to care about someone when it conveniences you and screw them over when it doesn't.

"I'm sorry, Melody." Bellamy's voice was low and as sincere as possible. "I shouldn't have said anything about the doctor. I didn't know that he…I didn't know what he did to deserve it." The way Bellamy had to choose his words carefully clued Melody in one what he was referencing.

Melody wasn't surprised that Jasper had told Bellamy about Jason. She hadn't asked him not to, after all. And in a way, Melody was kind of glad that he'd done it. She wanted Bellamy to know just how badly he'd screwed up, but she would never have admitted to him what happened with Jason. And after everything Jasper had done for her in the last day -standing up to Bellamy, consoling her, and being her shoulder to cry on- Melody couldn't find it in her heart to be angry with him.

"Well he _did_ deserve it. And now you know." Melody said, her voice angry although inside she was more ashamed than anything. Ashamed that something so horrible and vile had happened to her. Ashamed that she hadn't been able to stop it. Ashamed that it gave Bellamy Blake a reason to pity her. "I don't want your pity, Bellamy. So if that's why you're here-"

"I don't _pity_ you, Melody." Bellamy's voice was loud and zealous when he cut her off. "I applaud you. You've been through hell, but you don't let jackasses like me stop you."

The words surprised Melody and caused her eyes to widen slightly. Was that…a compliment? Melody replayed the words in her head and decided it was. First Bellamy was being all worried about her jacket and now he was complimenting her? Jasper's words must have had one helluva impact.

"I want to be friends, Melody." He admitted, looking at her with _the look._ The gentle and kind look that had once made Melody's heart flutter. Now, it only made her skeptical. "I know I've been a dick lately, but I wasn't just pretending to be your friend. I'm going to try and make it up to you…by buying your affections."

Bellamy's serious look faded slightly and a smile formed on his face as he echoed Melody's earlier words. His eyes were bright with mischief and Bellamy wore the wickedest grin that Melody had ever seen. Before she could even contemplate what any of it might mean, Bellamy was reaching behind him and pulling off whatever he'd strapped to his back.

Melody's green eyes lit up with interest when Bellamy presented the hand-crafted recurve bow. It was a light color, and Melody instantly recognized it as made from the redwood trees that surrounded the camp. The design was rather simple; the upper and lower parts of the bow curved outwards and then towards each other, leaving a small indentation in the middle. That was where you gripped the bow. The shape of the bow reminded Melody of a lazy and exaggerated "w." The string was drawn taut, with just enough slack so that it could be pulled back and loaded with one of the metal-tipped arrows Bellamy had produced from inside his jacket. Engraved on the "handle" was a four letter word; _Pond._

The bow and the arrows -along with the hollowed out piece of wood that was made into a sheath- were all made by hand. There was no other explanation. It wasn't like they had been equipped with weapons before being sent to Earth. Somehow the bow managed to be perfectly smooth and proportioned despite the fact that it was a tree just the day before. And the arrows were perfect; thin but not _too_ thin, heavy but not _too_ heavy, and crafted skillfully enough to strike an enemy with pin-point accuracy. The sheath was a hollowed out piece of firewood with the strap of a seatbelt attached to it, so it could be slung over one shoulder.

In short, everything was perfect.

"You _made_ this?" Asked Melody, awestruck.

"Do you like it?" Bellamy looked a bit worried, as if he thought she might reject the gift.

"Are you kidding?" Melody from the bow in her hands to Bellamy, and then back to the bow. It was an amazing and unexpected treat. "It's beautiful."

_He can buy my affections any time, _thought Melody to herself.

Relief washed over Bellamy's face and he nodded his head happily. "Good. I was thinking this afternoon I could show you-"

"No." Melody cut Bellamy off mid-sentence and shook her head.

"No?" His eyebrows were raised in surprise. "But you don't know how to use it."

"I'll figure it out." Melody insisted softly, not able to stop herself from smiling down at the bow and arrows. It was just such an amazing gift and Melody truly appreciated it.

"Alright." Allowed Bellamy, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "You know where to find me if you need help. No use against a grounder if you can't work it."

"Thanks, Bellamy." Melody slung the sheath and arrows over her shoulder as she spoke. "But I think I can protect myself."

|oOo|

It was mid-afternoon when Melody finally decided to test out her new bow.

After showing it off to a grumpy Jasper and an excited Monty, Melody had tucked the bow into her tent and hidden it well. A bow was a valuable weapon to have and some of the campers were known to have sticky fingers. And some of them were just _mean_. Envy could cause people to do horrible things, like toss amazing bows into deadly campfires. And although she gave everyone the benefit of the doubt, Melody would hate to have all of Bellamy's hard work go down the drain.

Now enveloped in the seclusion of the forest near their "graveyard", Melody decided it would be fun to test out the new weapon. She had to remind herself over and over again that a weapon was not a toy; it was not for playing with. It was supposed to be for protecting herself and -if she could ever get the hand of it- hunting. But hey, it was _her_ bow and she made the rules, so she could bend them.

Standing about thirty or forty yards away from a tall, thick tree, Melody slid an arrow out of the sheath. The arrow's weight was unfamiliar in her palm, so Melody held it for a few moments and attempted to get used to the feeling. Hopefully in the future she wouldn't need so much preparation, but this was only her first time. Melody wanted to take it slow and savor every moment.

Once she'd gotten used to the feel of the arrow, Melody slowly lifted the bow until it was perpendicular with her target. Being left-handed, she was forced to hold the bow in her opposite hand, with her right hip pointed in the direction of the target. A slow smile spread across Melody's face when she lowered the bow once more and loaded the arrow onto the string. Once the arrow was in place, Melody lifted the bow again until it was in line with her shoulders.

One eye slipped closed as Melody looked at the target in front of her. Locking in on the exact point that she wanted to hit, Melody took a deep breath and drew the string back. Each moment brought the arrow closer and closer to Melody's cheek. Once the bow was pushing into her palm and the string was drawn as much as possible, Melody took a deep breath. Then, she let the arrow fly forward.

The wooden arrow was quick and efficient as it sliced through the air, but the shot had been horrible inaccurate. Rather than hitting the base of the tree as intended, the arrow flew off into the woods beside it. The sound of the arrow falling to the forest floor was audible even from where Melody was standing.

"Damn it!" Mel cursed loudly as she ran forward to retrieve the arrow gone astray. After a few moments of digging around in the forest floor, Melody produced the arrow. The metal tip had embedded itself deep within the soil and she had to pull it free.

Melody was glad that the arrows were sturdy and solid. Bellamy really seemed to know what he was doing when it came to crafting the bow and arrows. Melody wasn't sure how he knew what he was doing, considering the fact that their only weapons on the Ark were guns. Nevertheless, she was glad the boy was useful for something other than destroying her life.

_Ease up, Melody_, she scolded herself light in her mind while walking back towards her starting point. _He __**did**__ go through all the trouble to make you this bow. _

Melody was grateful for the gift, but she was still angry with Bellamy. Actually, she was both angry and thankful. Angry that he had revealed her deepest and darkest secret, but thankful for the fact that he'd forced Melody to confront her demons. Without Bellamy's help, Melody never would have been able to start forgiving herself for what she'd done to Jason Evans. _But _without Bellamy's big mouth, she never would have had to forgive herself in the first place. Melody was torn between wanting to strangle him and wanting to thank him.

_Practice what you preach. You're the one that told Clarke to get off of her high horse. Maybe you should get off of yours. _

Melody hadn't thought of herself as being on a "high horse" before. But as she thought about it now, she realized that maybe she _did_ act a bit conceited where Bellamy was concerned. Melody spent so much of her time angry at Bellamy for declaring himself as their superior leader that she had treated him as if he were below her. Melody had acted as if she were waiting for someone better to come along and lead them properly. And nobody -not even _Bellamy Blake_\- deserved to be treated like they were disposable.

Melody decided in that moment that she would forgive Bellamy. Not only had he apologized, but he had given her a gift to show how sorry he was. And coming from Bellamy, the guy who cared only about himself, that was a big step. So maybe Melody could take a big step of her own and decide to let the past rest where it belonged; _in the past._ There had to be a first time for everything, right?

"Okay, gotta focus." Melody scolded herself with a scowl as she faced her target once more. Now was not the time to have her thoughts running rampant.

It took five more shots before one of her arrows lodged itself into the trunk of the tree. There was enough power behind each shot, but Melody's aim was not very good. Just when she thought she had lined up the perfect shot, the arrow turned slightly and threw everything off track. Just when Melody was thinking she might have to ask for help, one of the arrows stuck. Sure, she didn't hit her _target_, but she did hit the tree.

It was a start.

Melody spent the whole afternoon shooting her bow. As time went on, Melody improved a bit. But there was obviously something missing, because she was almost never able to hit the tree. The majority of the day was wasted by Melody having to run back and forth between the place where she shot and the crazy places her arrows ended up. The arrows ended up in the ground, in other trees, one time her arrow just kind of fell to the ground….Mel needed a bit more practice.

The sun had already gone down by the time Melody decided she was finished for the day, with little to no progress achieved. The only reason Melody decided to call it quits was because she could no longer see the tree in front of her. There was always the option of getting a torch, but Melody was exhausted and her arms were sore.

The trek back to camp was short.

When Melody arrived, there was a small group gathered in the center of the campsite. Bellamy was in the middle of the group, barking orders at several others who were with him. Melody noticed that amongst the group were two familiar faces; Finn and Jasper. Worry immediately coursed through her body and Melody picked up the pace.

She was just reaching the crowd as it dispersed. The handful of campers were quickly heading towards where the extra weapons and supplies were kept. Melody's heart sank as she faced Bellamy, who looked angry but also kind of worried. The worst thoughts were running through her mind as she tried to think of what could have happened in the few hours she'd been training with her bow.

"Hey." Melody was a bit breathless from the half-run half-jog she'd done in order to reach him. "What's going on?"

Bellamy stared at Melody for a few minutes, his face hard and unreadable. Gone was the playful and happy boy who had proudly presented Melody with her bow. In his place was Bellamy, the leader, who hard to remain strong in front of everybody. Melody's frown only intensified as she looked at Bellamy, who remained silent.

"Bellamy." She urged anxiously, her voice raising slightly with worry. "What happened?"

His dark brown eyes raked over Melody's face once more before shifting slightly to her shoulder. Melody's gaze followed his, landing on the bow that was tucked neatly into the sheath, right beside its arrows. Her heart was hammering when she pulled the bow out once more, looking up at him curiously. Melody's other hand went behind her back and retrieved an arrow, before loading it onto the lowered bow's string. That seemed to have been the right thing to do, because Bellamy's gaze snapped towards her eyes and he finally spoke.

"I hope you know how to use that thing." Bellamy's voice was grave as he frowned at Melody. "Octavia's missing."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

The vacant tent had never felt more cold and unwelcoming than it did in the wake of Octavia's disappearance.

Melody sat on the edge of her makeshift bed, eyes fixated upon the untouched pile of bedding that belonged to her tent-mate. Each blanket was perfectly folded and lain in the middle of Octavia's cot. A single pillow resided at the head, and near the foot of the bed was a pair of jeans and Octavia's old, scuffed up sneakers. A red hair ribbon was laying on top of the folded piles of clothing.

It appeared that the tent had remained completely untouched overnight.

There was a feeling of dread deep within Melody's stomach as she thought about Octavia and what might have happened to her. The first explanation that popped into Melody's head was the simplest; _grounders._ The savage group was an unpredictable and ever-looming threat. It would have been all too easy for them to capture Octavia. And it would have been even easier for them to kill her.

The second and more optimistic explanation was that Octavia had simply gotten lost. Although it was forbidden to leave camp after dark, Octavia had never been one to follow the rules. More nights than not she would sneak into camp long after everyone else had fallen asleep and crawl into bed as if she'd been there the whole time. Melody knew the truth, though. Octavia spent the majority of her time chasing the many mysteries that plagued the Earth. Once, the girl had confided in Melody and admitted that she especially cared for the butterflies that flocked in a field near camp.

Death by butterflies; it didn't sound likely.

A few weeks ago, Melody wouldn't have jumped at the chance to find Octavia Blake. In fact, she probably wouldn't have cared if the girl ever returned. As horrible as it was, during those first few days Melody had more often than not found herself wishing that Octavia Blake was out of the picture. Not only had the girl stolen Jasper's affections, but she had unknowingly put him in harm's way; _twice. _Melody would have been glad to see her go.

But now, things were different.

Melody had not only grown to tolerate Octavia's company, but she had also grown to enjoy it. She found herself looking forward to the few minutes they spent alone together rather than dreading them. Mel discovered that not only was Octavia funny, but she was intelligent and passionate as well. Like Melody, Octavia was willing to stand up for what she believed in and voice her opinion no matter what the outcome. Octavia was strong and courageous and although she'd been through hell growing up, she'd come out on top; Octavia and Melody were like two peas in a pod.

"We'll find you, Octavia." Whispered Melody softly as she moved forward and picked up the red ribbon. Melody rubbed the piece of material between her index finger and thumb a few times before getting an idea.

Melody bent over and flipped all of her hair downwards. In this position, the mass of red hair dangled in front of her face and reached nearly to her knees. With one hand, Melody gathered her hair and gripped it tightly. With the other, she began to smooth all of the stray pieces into what would become a ponytail. When she straightened up once more, the hair was piled neatly on the top of her head and secured by the crimson colored ribbon. A few loose pieces of orange hair framed her face, but the majority of it was pulled back in a sleek ponytail.

_For luck, _she told herself silently, with a grave face.

Melody was just emerging from her tent when the small search party marched by, all of them solemn faced and serious. In the lead was Bellamy, looking as grave as ever while he carried a torch in one hand and kept the other on his hip, near the tomahawk that he carried with him at all times. The other campers were similarly armed, with whatever knives and spears they'd been able to make with the wreckage from the dropship.

Bellamy's brown eyes fell upon Melody and they widened slightly in surprise. As the others continued to move forward, Bellamy broke away from the group and slowly began walking in Melody's direction. Letting the tent flap fall shut behind her, Melody bent down and quickly zipped it closed. When she got to her feet once more, there was Bellamy was standing directly in front of her, looking down upon the girl with interest.

Melody asked, "Are we ready?"

"Just about." Replied Bellamy with a curt nod. "Are _you_ ready?" His voice was lower, softer, and Melody knew what implications laid within the words.

"I'm fine." Melody insisted shortly. "I've got my bow," she turned around to show him the weapon that was currently slung over her shoulder. Melody found that the only way to transport the bow was to slip it over her head so that the bow was pressed up against her back and the string was crossed diagonally over her chest. "And my arrows." She emphasized her words by gently rattling the sheath which she carried like she would an off-the-shoulder bag. "And a good luck charm." Melody added, bringing Bellamy's attention to the ribbon in her hair.

Bellamy nodded his head slowly, lips pursed as he looked over Melody. His dark eyes left no inch of her uninspected. Just when Melody felt his gaze was lingering a bit _too_ long, a slow smirk spread across Bellamy's face and his eyes lifted towards hers once more.

"What?" Melody was immediately defensive as her hands fluttered upwards, towards her hair. She gently ran her fingers down the length of her ponytail before scowling at Bellamy. "You don't like it." The words weren't a question; they were an assumption.

"No, it's not that." Bellamy assured her, shaking his head once in amusement. "You just look so…" His voice slowly trailed off as he looked at her once more, not able to stop himself from smirking once more.

"So _what_?" A small frown found its way onto Melody's face as she crossed her arms protectively over her chest. Bellamy's words gave no insight to whether he liked or disliked her change in appearance, which left Melody feeling helpless and unsure.

"Different._"_ Bellamy said finally, nodding his head in approval. "Good different." He added, as an afterthought.

"Oh." Melody was surprised by his words. How different could she really look? Sure, she'd done up her hair. And she was currently armed to the teeth like a woman at war. But other than that, she looked the same as ever.

"Yeah."

The two of them stood there looking at each other for a few moments, neither one sure what to say next. Melody wasn't used to receiving compliments, as was proven when Jasper had said nice things to her this morning. Melody's first instinct was to laugh or brush it off or turn it into a joke, but she knew that Bellamy didn't just _give out_ compliments. So, she remained silent and prayed that he wouldn't open his mouth again.

Melody's prayers were answered when Bellamy's name was called. As if remembering what situation they were in, Bellamy immediately sobered and walked away from Melody without another word. A sigh of relief escaped from between Melody's lips as she slowly followed after him. A nice Bellamy was an unsettling Bellamy.

_Awkward silence averted. _

Melody walked the last few feet to join the group that was slowly forming. At first, Melody didn't understand why everyone was talking excitedly amongst themselves. It wasn't until she heard the words '_It's so beautiful_' that Melody's attention shifted from the group to the sky, where it looked like a million shimmering lights were raining down from space.

At first, Melody thought it might be a meteor shower. It kind of looked like the pictures she had seen in the books on the Ark. But there was something off about it; something she couldn't quite put her finger on. It wasn't until Raven spoke that Melody understood what they were seeing.

"They didn't work." Raven said quietly, staring up at the sky. "They didn't see the flares."

"A meteor shower tells you that?" Questioned Bellamy.

"It's not a meteor shower; it's a _funeral_."

For the first time, Melody noticed Clarke. "Hundreds of bodies being returned to the Earth from The Ark. This is what it looks like from the other side." Explained the blonde doctor with a frown as she looked at Bellamy.

There was a few moments of silence before Raven's voice was raising and she was lunging for Bellamy. "This is all because of you!"

As the black-haired girl sprung forward, so did Melody, although Melody's movements were much more subtle than Raven's. Bellamy hardly even noticed when the small girl crept up to his side and stood there defensively, with her arms bared across her chest as usual. Melody's green eyes stared Raven down as the other girl was pulled backwards, away from them. The protective side of Melody was making an appearance once more, but this time it was _for_ Bellamy rather than against him. At this point Raven could either be a friend or a foe and Melody had to defend her own. And that included Bellamy Blake.

"I helped you _find_ the radio." Bellamy pointed out, giving Raven a look that said he clearly wasn't interested in fighting with her.

"Yeah, after you jacked it from my pod and trashed it!" She snapped, not bothering to hide the irritation and disgust in her voice.

"Yeah, he knows." Clarke told Raven quietly, giving Bellamy one of his disproving looks. "Now has to live with it."

"All I know," Bellamy looked slowly between Clarke and Raven. "Is that my sister is out there and I'm going to find her."

There was a few moments of silence before Melody spoke. "You coming or what?" She looked at Finn curiously, knowing that he was their best shot at finding Octavia. He was, after all, somewhat of a tracker.

"Yeah." Finn nodded his head and then turned towards Raven and Clarke, presumably to say his goodbyes.

"Move out!" Bellamy's voice was loud and booming as he turned away and began to lead the others out of camp.

Melody followed after him, not bothering to look back. She hadn't said her goodbyes, but there was no need. Melody was confident that they would be back in just a matter of hours, with Octavia in tow. She would barely be gone long enough for anyone to miss her. Besides, Finn and Jasper were tagging along. They alone took up half of her current friends list.

The group was mainly quiet as they walked. A few of the boys were rowdy and excited, but most of them understood the situation. They all knew that they could be setting out on a wild goose chase. Octavia's chances were slim…but no one dared to mention this aloud. Bellamy looked like he was barely able to contain himself as it was.

Melody tried to keep her thoughts positive. Whenever she began to doubt, all she had to do was reach up and touch the lucky hair ribbon that she'd taken from Octavia's things. The ribbon wasn't there by chance; Octavia almost never left it behind. Although the girl didn't wear her hair up, she'd told Melody once that the ribbon was symbolic; it was a part of her old life. A part of the old her. Octavia almost always kept it tied around her wrist or buried it within the pockets of her jacket. Melody was convinced that it was their good luck charm.

"You stood up for me." Out of nowhere, Bellamy's voice was suddenly breaking the silence that surrounded them. When Melody tilted her head upwards, she saw that he was already looking at her curiously.

"What?" Mel frowned as she looked up at Bellamy. Melody's thoughts were too absorbed in Octavia for her to be able to make sense of his unexpected words.

"With Raven. You were ready to protect me against her." Bellamy's words reminded Melody of how easily she'd stepped to his side and glared daggers at their newfound _friend. _The confused look on his face was actually almost comical.

"So?" Asked Melody. She shrugged one shoulder easily, as if to let him know that the whole thing really wasn't a big deal. It was just what she did; she protected people.

"_So_, why did you do it?" Bellamy demanded with an impatient roll of his eyes. "You're always against me. You've never been at my side." He pointed out, frowning in her direction.

"You never gave me a reason to be." Melody said simply with another lazy shrug.

"And now I have?" Wondered Bellamy, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

Melody gave him a knowing smile and gently tapped her fingers against the sheath of arrows at her side. The gift, the precious gift, had been the first unselfish thing Bellamy Blake had ever done. "And now you have."

The two of them fell silent then, because no more words were needed. Melody had just confirmed that Bellamy was forgiven. He had sincerely apologized and given her the bow, which wasn't _just _a gift; it was an act of friendship. And in return, Melody was giving Bellamy the benefit of the doubt. When it came down to it, she had his back. And, on Earth, that was basically a blood-binding friendship.

It wasn't long before Finn and Jasper joined the little group. When Bellamy headed towards the front of the group, the two boys replaced him with one on each side of Melody. She smiled at each of them, but didn't slow her quick pace. There wasn't any time to waste, considering they had no daylight to work with. The only light they had were from the torches, and who knew how long it would last?

Walking briskly, Finn admired the bow that was strapped to Melody's chest. "Wow, Mel. Where did you get that?" He asked curiously, reaching out to run his fingers along the weapon's edge.

"Bellamy made it." Jasper answered Finn before Melody had the chance. "Kind of an '_I'm sorry I ruined your life_' gift." Explained Jasper acidly, her voice and scowl betraying his true feelings about the whole matter.

Melody elbowed Jasper sharply in the ribs with a scowl of her own. "Don't diss on my bow, Goggle Boy." She warned with a frown, feeling oddly protective over the inanimate object. "And if I can let it go, you can let it go." Mel insisted, her tone becoming softer towards the end.

"Don't hold your breath." Jasper muttered the words lowly.

Melody understood why Jasper was not willing to be as forgiving as she was. It was easy to handle your own pain, but it was agonizing to watch someone you cared about handle theirs. Melody knew the feeling of helplessness that came with watching others suffer. Eventually, Jasper would learn to forgive Bellamy for the pain he'd put their little group through. But in the meantime, he was content to silently stew and plot the King's downfall.

"It is a sick bow." Finn agreed, nodding his head as he admired it. "But are you sure about this, Melody? Trusting _Bellamy_?" The doubt he felt showed on his face. They'd all had ample reasons not to put their faith in their o fearless leader. And suddenly, all of those reasons swam to the surface.

"People change, Finn." Melody said with a shrug. "In case you haven't noticed, no one's perfect. We've all got our own dirty little secret." She reminded him seriously, her words long and drawn out as she stared up at Finn.

The male's gaze darkened immediately and he frowned down at Melody. "It's not the same thing, Melody."

"It isn't?" She challenged, raising her eyebrows slightly. "When you go digging up the past, people get hurt. I think we both know that."

"I didn't intentionally hurt anyone." Finn argued, shaking his head.

"Doesn't change the fact that you did."

"Raven and I have history, Melody. I can't just throw it all away because I've started something with Clarke."

"We all have history, Finn." She sighed softly and took a moment to carefully step over a fallen log in their path. "Things on Earth are different. _We're _different. And it's time to let go of the past and work towards our future."

"Why are you lecturing _me_, Melody? I'm not the one who just killed three hundred innocent people for my own gain." Finn snapped. His dark eyes were ablaze with anger as he scowled down at her.

"Oh really? You burned three months' worth of oxygen, Finn. If you hadn't gone on your little spacewalk, none of those people would have died today. They would still have had some time left."

Finn was quiet for a few moments before he spoke again. "I'm not a _murderer._"

Melody didn't miss the double meaning hidden within Finn's words.

It was surprising how little time it took Mel to whip the bow off of her back and have an arrow lined up with a clear shot at Finn's throat. Hard, green eyes glared daggers at the suddenly still boy as Melody's arm slowly drew back the string of her bow.

"Those are fighting words." She informed him, her voice as hard as steel. "Is that what you're looking for, Finn? A fight?"

The two of them stared at each other for what felt like hours.

"You're willing to draw on me, to _shoot_ me, for _Bellamy Blake_?" Finn looked both angry and confused as he stared down at Melody, his eyes flickering between her face and the loaded arrow. If Melody wasn't mistaken, he also looked slightly guilty for having dealt such a low blow. Or perhaps that was just a bit of fear shining through his otherwise composed expression.

"I'm not defending Bellamy, Finn. I'm defending _myself._" Melody said firmly, her fingers flexing slightly around the bow. "I don't like that word. _Murderer. _We have been pardoned. Down here, we're all equal now." The words were said slowly and strongly as Melody slowly lowered her bow. "Next time you throw that word in my face, be prepared to find out that I won't be so forgiving."

By the look on Finn's face, Melody had made her point clearly.

"Alright you two." Jasper drawled, finally stepping in between the two of them. "Now isn't the time to hash out your problems. We've got to find Octavia." He looked seriously between the two of them before placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "Okay?"

Melody and Finn just looked at each other for a few moments and then nodded. Their petty drama could wait until after they got Octavia home, safe and sound. The three of them were silent then, no one wanting to say anything else that might rock the boat. It was obvious that neither one of the boys agreed with Melody's sudden infatuation with seeing the good in everybody. And Melody made it clear that she wouldn't be swayed from her decision to let bygones be bygones.

They were at a standstill.

The group walked for a long time before they saw the first sign of Octavia's disappearance. One of the boys somehow noticed it, a scrap of clothing, laying half-way down one of the steepest hills Melody had seen. The light from the torches didn't cover enough of the area to see the article of clothing properly, so it left them guessing.

"Is that Octavia's?" The boy asked curiously, leaning forward slightly to get a better look.

Melody moved forward and squinted into the night, trying to figure out if she'd ever seen the item before. From what she could tell, it was a belt. The material was dark blue, or maybe even black; Melody couldn't tell beneath the layers of dirt and grime that covered it. But there was definitely a buckle glistening when the light of the torches caught it just right.

"It might be." Melody said quietly, turning her frown towards the boy as she took a step closer to get a better look.

The grass was slippery, and the hill was steep. Melody felt herself lose her footing and she began to fall forward. Instinctively, her eyes snapped shut and Melody tensed, waiting for the impact. But it never came. At the last second, a strong arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her back towards the rest of the group. Blinking up at the boy in the lead, Melody flashed him a thankful smile and slowly unwound herself from his grip.

"Get the rope." Bellamy commanded, looking between the boy and Melody for a few moments with a frown on his face. His eyes then shifted towards the hill, and his frown only grew.

Finn was also scowling when he looked at Bellamy. "What are you doing?"

"We need the rope to get back up." Explained Bellamy slowly, as one end of the rope was suddenly thrust into his hands.

And then, Bellamy was descending down the steep hill, holding onto nothing but a thin rope that they'd brought along in case of such situations. He hurried down as quickly as possible, but it was a challenge. When he finally managed to reach the spot where the belt lay, Bellamy's breathing was heavy from the amount of effort it took just to descend the hill.

"It's hers!" He called up to them as he stared down at the bit of Octavia's clothing. Bellamy tucked it into his back pocket quickly before looking up at them. "I'm going to go all the way down." And then Bellamy began to continue downwards.

The others stood at the top of the hill for a few moments, looking around at one another nervously as they debated whether or not to follow after their brave leader. For a search and rescue team, they weren't very keen on the "rescue" part of it all. No one moved forward for a solid minute.

It was Melody and Jasper who followed after Bellamy first, breaking away from the group in unison. Jasper handed his torch to Finn and gripped the rope, before turning to look at Melody. She flashed him a confident smile and nodded her head. And then, her eyes scanned across the rest of the group for a moment before landing on Finn. They narrowed slightly and Melody's voice was just as pointed when she began to speak.

"We-"

"_Are Apache_." Finn said decisively, finishing her words easily. His gaze broke away from Melody's and he looked at Jasper with a small frown. "I really wish you never would have said that."

The corners of Mel's lips lifted upwards as she gripped the rope with both hands. She hadn't been going to say it. In fact, she'd been going to simply tell him that they owed it to Octavia to find her. Whatever their differences may be at the moment, they needed to come together in order to bring Octavia home.

Melody decided that she liked the sound of Finn's words much better than her own. Rather than go on with the little speech she'd prepared in her mind, Mel just smiled and let Finn's words echo in her head for a few moments.

_We are Apache. _

After taking a deep breath to steady herself, Melody began to follow slowly behind Jasper as the two of them descended the hill. It hadn't looked like much from the top, but now that they were scaling the hill, she realized just how mountainous and steep it was. It took everything Melody had to not stumble forward and fall flat on her face.

They weren't even hallway down the hill when she felt a slight pull on the rope, letting her know that others had begun to follow suit. A smile spread across Melody's face and she felt the oddest sort of pride. For being a bunch of "criminals", they sure as hell didn't play the part very well. Their society had labeled them as dangerous people that threatened the Ark. Melody saw what lay beneath the surface. Perhaps they _were_ criminals by definition, but they were also so much more. And with each passing day they continued to prove everyone on that flying hunk of metal wrong; they _would_ amount to something.

Melody and Jasper reached the ground in no time, taking great care to not fall on their faces as the incline progressed down to the very last step. Jasper leapt the last few steps, landing in sort of a messy crouch at the base of the hill. Melody followed suit, stumbling for only a step or two before Jasper reached out and steadied her.

"Whatta bitch." Melody mumbled beneath her breath, scowling at the hill. She was breathless just from the amount of effort it took to scale the rugged mound of dirt. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like when they had to return…

"It'll be worse to climb up." Warned Jasper, echoing Melody's thoughts with a soft sigh.

"Ugh." Groaned Melody as she gently rubbed her fingers across her side, already anticipating the pain she would be in before the day was through.

Why was physical activity so strenuous?

"Stop whining and get over here."

The two of them seemed to notice Bellamy at the same time. They could see the outline of his body knelt down as he studied something in the dirt. Melody and Jasper exchanged a curious look before they began to move forward quickly. When Bellamy heard their approach, he straightened slightly and frowned, before turning his attention back towards the ground.

It was then that Melody saw what had stopped him. Splattered across the dirt was a dark-red liquid that could only have been blood. There wasn't a lot of it; just a few drops here and there. But it was enough to get Melody's heart racing and her stomach churning as horrible thoughts entered her mind. Wherever Octavia was, she was hurt and scared.

"Someone else was here."

Melody's head snapped upwards when Bellamy's voice reached her ears. Someone else? Bellamy noticed the look she was giving him, and he extended one arm to point at something in the dirt. When Melody leaned forward she realized what it was; a set of footprints. Large prints; much too large to have belonged to Octavia.

"The prints are deeper going that way." Finn pointed ahead of them, where the footprints continued on for as far as they could see. He was quiet for a few more moments before adding, "He was carrying her."

Everyone took a few moments to process the words. Octavia wasn't just missing; she had been _taken._ Like Melody had feared, it was the grounders. There was no other explanation. And the evidence in front of them was adding up fairly quickly. Melody's heart was beating at a thousand miles a minute as dread consumed her. If Octavia had been taken, then she was as good as dead.

"If they took her, she's alive." Jasper said quietly, giving Melody his best reassuring smile. The words did little to comfort her. "Like when they took me."

"When they took you, they strung you up as bait." Melody's voice was sharp, showing just how much panic she was truly feeling. The words '_strung you up as bait_' tasted bitter on Melody's tongue. It was an expression that she truly hated, but she felt she had to use.

"_Live _bait." Finn added, looking between the two of them slowly.

The words only caused Melody to fear for her friend even more. Standing up, Melody briskly began to follow the tracks in the opposite direction of the boys. It wasn't long before she heard the sound of footsteps and knew they were following behind her.

And as always, Melody felt unstoppable with the three of them by her side.

The trek into grounder territory was not long, nor was it easy. They followed the trail that Finn had managed to pick up on. Their eyes stayed glued to the ground as they traced the footsteps of the grounder that had taken Octavia. The ground was soft and moist, so the footprints were neatly printed into the mud, like a map. They noted that the man had carried her for a long time. _Too _long. Melody wondered why he would carry Octavia's body back so far just to kill her.

_The grounders are crazy,_ Melody reminded herself sternly, when she began to question their motives. They were crazy and unpredictable.

That much was proven when they finally came upon grounder terrain.

"I don't speak grounder, but I'm pretty sure this means keep out."

Not a single person disagreed with Finn's words.

The endless amount of decaying skeletons hanging from the trees in front of them definitely seemed to say, '_Keep out._' Tied to the trunks of nearly every tree, the carcasses were obviously meant as a warning to intruders.

Melody's green eyes shifted towards Bellamy, who was staring straight ahead. There were several complaints going up among their small group as several people insisted that they weren't going any further. Melody's temper flared and she turned her head to glare at the lot of them, silently cursing them for their lack of courage.

"This shit is dangerous, Mel." A boy -Kaleb, maybe?- looked at Melody with a frown on his face. "We could get killed."

"Octavia could already have beenkilled."

"Well then there's nothing we can do."

Melody lunged. Jasper deflected her attack and all eyes fell onto Mel's small, wriggling form as she attempted to escape from his strong grip. Kaleb looking at her wearily, no doubt remembering how Carson had looked after a run-in with Melody. It didn't take much to set Melody off. And when someone spoke so causally about the death of her friends -or death in general, really- Melody found herself getting more worked up than usual.

"We could _bury _her. We could bring her _home._" Countered Melody, giving Kaleb a disbelieving look as she finally stilled in Jasper's arms. "You'd want the same thing."

The blond haired boy shook his head slightly and his frown deepened. "I wouldn't want you all risking your life for me."

"But we would." Finn interjected softly, looking between Melody and the other boy.

"It's what we do." Added Melody. "We protect our own."

"Enough." Commanded Bellamy. "Go back if you want." And then quieter, so quiet that Melody didn't even know if she heard it, he added, "My sister, my responsibility."

The amount of people that walked away caused Melody to gawk. Sheepishly, they slinked back into the forest from which they'd just came. The group went from fifteen to seven or eight easily; at least half of their members had chickened out at the last minute. They were cowards, deserters, and Melody felt angry as she stared at their retreating backsides.

But there was nothing she could do about it now.

"I'd walk into hell to find her." Proclaimed Jasper, before he followed after Bellamy.

"I think we just did." Muttered Finn.

"Brave faces, boys." Melody said quietly as she passed between the two of them. "When you dance with the devil, you don't get to pick the tune."

In other words: _we're playing by their rules, now._

Melody took the torch from Finn's hand and moved forward briskly. She followed behind Bellamy, channeling her anger and fear into motivation. Melody would find Octavia, and then she might cry a bit, and _then _she would give Kaleb a talking to that he'd _never_ forget.

_No, Mel. Gotta grow up. _Argued a voice inside of Melody's head.

"Adulthood is overrated." Whispered Melody to her inner monologue as she lifted her chin determinedly and marched on. "And violence is necessary."

Apparently Bellamy heard Melody's words, because he suddenly whipped around so fast that Melody barely had time to take a step back before she set him alight with her torch. Big, green eyes blinked up at Bellamy curiously as he stared down at her with hard eyes.

"Not everyone is like you, Melody."

"Obviously. Or else the world would be a better place." She retorted immediately, the words flying out of her mouth before she could think better of them.

Bellamy smiled. "For some reason you feel the need to try and save us all." Melody remained silent at his observation, which was fine because he continued on before she could have protested. "Some of us are too far gone, Melody."

_You're redeemable, Bellamy. _She thought in her head, wishing that he could see what she was beginning to see. He wasn't a bad man; he was misguided and misunderstood.

"Live as a man. Die as a man. _Become_ a man." Melody said simply, staring up at Bellamy. "If I die today, I die a man. If _they_ die, they die as cowards." Whatever fate lay ahead, Melody would forever be more of a "man" than any of the boys who were hightailing it back to camp. And that was impressive, considering her rather feminine anatomy.

"You would die a woman." He corrected softly, reaching out to tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Melody allowed him to do so, her eyes darting swiftly between his hand and his face as the piece of hair was tamed once more.

"It's just a quote." Melody said quietly, shrugging her shoulders slightly. Man, woman; what difference did it make? It was more about honor than anything.

Bellamy's tongue flicked out and glided swiftly across his lower lip in a restless, almost nervous motion. "And if I die?" He asked quietly. "Do I die as a man, or do I die as a tyrant?"

The two of them were oblivious to the several pairs of eyes that had fallen upon them. Everyone looked on with interest, surprised to see that there was no screaming or fighting involved in their conversation. Two specific sets of eyes looked on with disapproval, but Melody was too wrapped up in the conversation to notice them.

For the first time, Melody realized that Bellamy was afraid. Not of dying -he had put himself into countless dangerous situations since she'd known him and never once had he shown any fear- but of dying as what they all thought he was; a power-hungry, self-serving jackass. He was afraid of dying and leaving behind an unfavorable legacy.

"If you die as a tyrant, then I die as a murderer." Melody was solemn.

They stared at each other then, and something sacred and secret seemed to pass between them; something no one else could see. There was a newfound fierceness in Bellamy's eyes, one that reflected everything Melody felt. Bellamy was so much more than he gave himself credit for. He was even more than _she_ gave him credit for. Melody did not want Bellamy Blake to die as the villain; she wanted him to die as the hero. And Bellamy felt the same way; Melody Pond was the only bit of goodness on this Earth. She would be remembered for her greatness, not her mistakes.

"Are you two going to kiss, or can we get going?" Interrupted Jasper. He looked between the two of them with a look that was somewhere between unsure and horrified.

Melody's cheeks flushed and the tips of Bellamy's ears were bright red.

Needless to say, they got going.

|oOo|

The footprints vanished immediately upon entering Grounder Forest.

The whole terrain was covered with overgrown vegetation. Grass and moss and _green_ covered everything in sight. It wasn't unlike the forest surrounding their camp. The dirt that covered the forest floor was not soft and impressionable; it was hard and barely reacted to being stepped on. Muddy footprints wouldn't have lasted a moment there. Chances of finding traces of the grounder or Octavia in an unfamiliar forest were very slim.

The sun had long ago come up and they'd ditched their torches, which were just slowing them down. The forest seemed endless. Melody wouldn't have been surprised to find out that they'd just been going in circles the whole time. Everytree looked the same. There were no distinguishing landmarks. No way to know if they were heading in the right direction or if they were wandering without a cause.

Even Finn, the amazing tracker, had to admit that they were at a loss.

"We lost the trail." He said finally, after what felt like hours of searching the area a hundred times over for something that clearly wasn't there.

There was no hesitation in Bellamy's voice when he replied. "Keep looking."

"Wandering around aimlessly isn't the way to find your sister. We should backtrack."

"I'm not going back."

It was Roma, a nice, dark-haired girl from Mecha, who noticed what they'd all been busy enough to overlook.

"Hey, where's John?"

There had been two Johns at camp. There was John, a nice guy with bright eyes and a friendly smile, whose quick reflexes had saved Melody from tumbling down the hill earlier, and then there was John Murphy. Seeing as how John Murphy had been banished from camp, there was only one person Roma could have been talking about.

"I just saw him a second ago." Said Jasper.

"Spread out." Commanded Bellamy as they began to look around for the missing boy. "He couldn't have gotten that far."

_He wouldn't have gone off alone, _thought Melody with a frown. _He's not an idiot. _

Nevertheless, she began to walk in the direction they'd just come from. Maybe John had gotten scared and tried to find his way back to camp. It didn't sound likely, but there was always the chance that he'd simply decided this rescue mission was too much to handle.

Deep down in Melody's gut was a feeling of suspicion. John was the second person to have "wandered off" now. And, like Octavia, he had what appeared to be a good head on his shoulders. The first time it seemed as if one of their own had gotten lost, she'd been _taken._ Was it possible that the same thing had happened to John?

Melody looked quickly from side to side, but she didn't see any signs of the grounders. Not that she knew what they looked like, of course. The closest thing Melody had seen to a grounder was the skeleton -presuming it belonged to a native- that littered the forest floor near the path to Mount Weather. Melody remembered all too well the oddly-shaped skull that Monty had stumbled across. She remembered how strange and unsettling that skeleton had been. The grounders just didn't seem quite human…

That's when something clicked.

They hadn't seen or heard the grounders that speared Jasper. At the time, they'd blamed it on not paying close enough attention to their surroundings. But now, Melody realized the truth. They hadn't seen the grounders because the grounders hadn't wanted to be seen. They had been out there silently lurking, just _waiting_ to strike. They obviously had some method to their madness. Somehow they made themselves seem invisible.

Melody decided to voice her opinions aloud. After all, how likely was it that John had just wandered off? "Hey guys? I think-" _we're missing something._

Melody watched in horror as a limp and lifeless body fell from above, landing in a messy heap right in front of her. Widened eyes stared down at John's dead body. His throat had been slit open, with blood coating his neck and torso. Stifling a gasp, Melody brought one hand to her mouth and pressed it firmly against her lips.

It was another grounder attack.

Finn and Bellamy moved closer to inspect the body. Everyone else watched from a safe distance away, except for Melody. All she could do was stand there and look down at the blood-covered body, which sat just a few inches away from her feet. Blood seemed to flow from the boy endlessly, covering himself and the ground around his body in a thick, crimson coat. The pool of blood began expanding ever so slightly, forming itself around the soles of Melody's combat boots and then further on, inching its way further away from the source.

Melody wasn't squeamish. The sight of blood didn't cause her to wretch, nor did it make her feel all dizzy and faint. The reason she continued to stare down at the blood was because it all felt so surreal. Minutes ago John had been alive and well, helping them search for Octavia. And now Melody's shoes were drenched in his hot, sticky blood. She wriggled her toes slightly, as if making sure they weren't also covered in blood, before taking a step back.

"They use the trees."

Suddenly, Melody felt stupid. _Of course _they used the trees. That's why they were so stealthy. It's not that she hadn't been able to see them; there was nothing to _see_. While Melody had been looking throughout the forest, they'd been looming overhead. It was all so unbelievably simple.

"We shouldn't have crossed the border." Said one of the guys.

"_Now _can we go back?" Demanded Roma.

It was Jasper's hushed whisper that caught Melody's attention. "_There._" He hissed, pointing to the left. His words were so filled with fear that they awoke Melody and set her senses on red-alert.

All eyes turned slowly towards where Jasper was pointing. Melody frowned when she saw what appeared to be a man running along the edge of the forest. He blended in so easily with the colors of the forest that it was only easy to see him in the clearings. Covered in mud and a variety of paints or dyes, the man had been completely camouflaged while hiding in the forest. That's why they hadn't suspected anything out of the ordinary. The grounders were stalking them, biding their time and waiting for the perfect moment to pounce.

"Another one."

Their heads swung towards the right, where another grounder was dancing among the trees in plain sight. It occurred to Melody that they weren't hiding, but they also weren't attacking. So what were they doing?

"We'd better run."

That was all the urging they needed.

Melody lurched forward, sliding slightly on the grass. The blood covering her boots made it nearly impossible for her feet to grip the ground. Cursing, Melody wiped her boots frantically against the moss, looking over both shoulders to see the grounders advancing. There was no time to unlace her boots. There was no time to do anything other than run and pray to God that she could keep herself upright. When she moved to run again, she stumbled slightly but was caught around the waist and hauled back to her feet.

"Melody, run!" Jasper's voice was in her ear as the two of them struggled forward.

_What do you think I'm doing?_ Melody thought angrily, as she once more attempted to pull herself forward.

Finally, her boots managed to make purchase and then the two of them were running forward as fast as their legs could carry them. Having taken up the rear, Melody and Jasper were the closest ones to the grounders. She tried not to let this bother her, but all Melody could imagine was another spear flying forward and impaling the both of them.

"Why the hell did you come back for me?" Melody asked accusingly, her breath coming in short pants as they upped their pace.

Jasper made a growl-like sound in the back of his throat, obviously exasperated by Melody's question. He didn't answer her, but instead focused all of his concentration on catching up to the rest of the group.

It was absolutely ridiculous. Melody shouldn't have been angry with Jasper for saving her life, but she was furious. He had been lucky enough to escape the grounders once. He didn't need to push his luck. Melody was even more furious at herself for being such an idiot. Blood was wet and slippery and she should have done her best to avoid it altogether. Not that she'd had much notice, of course, since the body nearly dropped right into her lap. Most of all, she was angry that she had been a liability.

They ran and they ran and they ran until Melody felt like she was going to drop dead in the middle of the forest floor. Like the last time she'd been forced to run, Melody's chest felt as if it were on fire. Each breath was ragged and felt like a million knives piercing her skin. And then there was the matter of cramping. Both of her sides ached furiously, as did her legs. Only this time the pain wasn't quite as bad as before. Her body had upped its endurance since last time, and as a result Melody found herself feeling oddly empowered; or as empowered as a dying girl could feel.

"Let's go, let's go!" A loud voice rang out among the group, but Melody was too busy focusing on her ragged breathing to know who had said it. Whoever it was, she wanted to throttle them.

"What are we going to do? They just keep heading us off!"

"Just keep running!"

"I can't run much longer." Jasper's voice was strained as he tried to keep up with the rest of their small group. Melody went to him immediately, worried that maybe he was over exerting himself too quickly after getting patched up.

"I'm not stopping for _him_!" Snarled one of the guys, as they ran passed Melody and Jasper, who had begun to slow down.

"Asshole!" Shouted Melody, flicking him the finger as she pulled Jasper to a rough stop. "You okay?" Melody asked, breathlessly.

Jasper nodded his head and placed one hand over his beating heart. The two of them attempted to catch their breath as the group finally stopped for a moment. Melody's whole body throbbed in protest, especially the muscles in her legs. Mel bent over and braced both hands on her thighs before taking a deep breath and straightening once more, ready for action.

_I can handle a few miles, _she insisted. _I'm Melody freaking Pond. _

"I'm sick of running." Bellamy announced angrily. "They know where she is."

The few moments they spent standing there didn't last nearly long enough.

"_Diggs_?" Roma's voice was shrill as she shouted towards the boy who had yet to stop running. "Where are you?"

His answer was faint, but Roma immediately began to run in the direction that it had come from. A loud sigh escaped Melody, before she grabbed Jasper by the hand and urged him to follow the girl. Tried as they were, they couldn't stop. Not yet. No one wanted to be left behind with grounders on their trail.

They ran throughout the forest, following nothing but the sound of Roma's footsteps ahead of them. It wasn't long before they could hear her screaming, which only urged them on faster. When they founded the corner and saw Diggs' body impaled by some sort of booby trap, everyone paused.

Everyone but Roma.

"They were leading us here." Said Jasper, as he looked around the forest. Melody saw the trip wire that had set of the trap which ended Diggs' life. "It's the only direction we could go."

That's when they all seemed to realize that the sound of footsteps was no longer following them. The grounders had gone away. They had led Melody and her group into a minefield, and now they were just gone? It didn't make sense.

"Where'd they go?" Asked Finn.

"After Roma."

Cue more running.

Melody felt like she had been thrown into this horrible nightmare that never ended. It was an endless circle of eat, sleep, survive, repeat. They weren't _living_; they were just surviving to the best of their abilities. And even that wasn't good enough. Their numbers were quickly dwindling. In only a matter of weeks there had been at least ten deaths, if not more. Melody was no longer keeping track of how many of them there were.

They ran until they found Roma, speared to a tree. The weapon had gone straight through her heart, killing her on the spot. While Bellamy closed her eyes, the rest of them looked around worriedly. They were being picked off one by one, and no one wanted to be the next victim.

"They're playing with us." Finn announced. "They could kills us whenever they want."

A few beats of silence.

"Then they should _get it over with!_" Roared Jasper. His shouting rose with every word. "Come on! We know you're out there!" His voice was loud and Melody could hear the thunderous footsteps of the grounders as they approached.

"Shh! Jasper, shut the hell up!" Melody hissed, grabbing his shoulder roughly and giving him a good shake.

They all moved in, forming a tight circle with their backs to one another. Melody was still gripping Jasper, partly out of fear and partly out of anger. The grounders would have caught up to them eventually, but he didn't help with delaying the process.

_Jasper Jordan, you are the bane of my existence._

He was also her savior, so Melody decided to keep her thoughts to herself. Had Jasper not stopped to help her when she couldn't quite catch her footing, she would have been as well off as Roma. And as far as Melody was concerned, they all should get a chance to break down once in a while. Jasper had been too strong for too long. Granted, it would have been nice if he'd chosen to freak out when they _weren't_ about to die, but beggars couldn't be choosers.

Just when they thought they were doomed, a loud sound resonated throughout the forest.

"That horn." Jasper said slowly, looking around at the retreating grounders. "What does it mean?"

"Acid fog."

Finn reached into his bag and was yanking out one of their extra tents. Melody had never encountered the "Acid Fog", but she'd heard that it was a nasty thing. They claimed it burned your skin off and covered you in boils. If you got caught in the fog, there was no escaping it. You just died.

"We've got to go!" Insisted the other girl -whose name Melody did not know- passionately, as she looked towards where the grounders had retreated to.

"There's no time."

Finn rolled out the tent and urged them to all lay down on it. Melody dropped to the ground and lay on her belly, as did the other four. When everyone was down, they pulled a tarp over their heads and held it down, so none of the fog could get in. They didn't know if it would work, but they figured it was their best bet.

Minutes passed. First five, then ten. With each passing moment they became more and more reckless as they waited to see what would happen. Finally, it got to the point where no one could stand lying on top of one another anymore. Rather than wait it out, Bellamy threw the tarp away from them and popped his head up. "There's no fog."

They all sat up quickly and looked around. Finn suggested that it was a false alarm. Melody had a hard time believing someone could mistake acid fog for a raincloud, even if she never had seen the fog before. They had described it as being thick and yellow and fast-moving. And from what she had seen, the only things even close to that were the harmless, gray clouds that floated overhead.

"They're coming back."

Everyone stood at attention as another grounder ran through the forest. This one, however, was not after them. It couldn't even see them as far as they knew. It just ran straight, as if running away from something else. Maybe the fog?

"Now can we run? He doesn't see us."

"I'm going after him." Announced Bellamy.

"And what? Kill him?"

"No. Catch him. Make him tell me where Octavia is…then kill him."

"How do we know he's not leading us into another trap?" Asked Jasper.

"We don't." Finn said simply, with an uneasy glance towards Bellamy's back as the older male began to follow after the grounder.

"Come on." Urged Melody, nodding her head towards Bellamy. "It's our only chance." She pointed out, before jogging to keep up with Bellamy.

The whole day had gone by so fast that Melody's head was still reeling. Everything had happened so quickly from the very beginning. John's death, the grounder attack, running, Diggs' death, more running, Roma's death, more running, the Acid Fog scare, now even _more_ running…Today had been nothing but a constant flurry of mayhem.

Still, she refused to give up.

If there was even the _slightest_ chance that Octavia was alive, Melody wouldn't leave until she'd found her. This had started out as a rescue mission and then it had suddenly morphed into a game of cat and mouse. They had lost three lives already, and Melody refused to allow those deaths to be in vain. All of their friends had died heroes. Maybe they hadn't done something amazing in the grand scheme of things, but to Melody -and Bellamy- they'd done something that no amount of thanks could ever repay.

And now, the rest of them were going to find Octavia and they were going to take her home. End of discussion.

No one said a word as they trailed behind the lone grounder. They didn't want to risk being exposed before they were led to Octavia; _if_ they were led to Octavia. They walked with Bellamy in the lead, followed by Melody and Finn behind him, and then Jasper and Monroe at the rear of the group. They walked in a crouch, trying to be as silent as the grounders who so easily barreled through the forest.

It seemed like he was leading them nowhere. And then, all of a sudden the grounder just stopped. He stopped right in the middle of a clearing and just stood there. Bellamy's arm shot out, preventing Melody from moving forward as she'd been about to. When she looked at him curiously, Bellamy just pressed one finger to his lips before looking back towards the grounder.

_How do we know he's not leading us into another trap?_

_We don't._

Melody bit down hard on her bottom lip, her eyes scanning both the forest floor and the treetops for any sign of movement. She didn't relax when she saw nothing; she _never _saw anything. The grounders blended in too well. They were too still. Too quiet. If this was a trap, then Melody and her friends were as good as dead. They had no weapons -aside from her bow- and no protection. They were done for.

Just when Melody thought the grounder might look up and notice them, he bent down and began to tug at something in the grass. Moments later a hatch opened, and the grounder slipped inside. One long, tanned arm reached up and closed the hatch behind him.

"They're underground?" Melody asked in a whisper, staring at the place where the grounder had just disappeared.

"Makes sense." Bellamy said quietly. "It's hard to see unless you know where you're going."

"And it's safe from the acid fog and the crazy mutated animals." Added Finn.

"So what's our plan?" Asked Jasper as he moved forward to get in on their little huddle. "Any strategy?"

"We go in and we get my sister."

The words had barely left Bellamy's lips before he was striding forward, his eyes constantly moving around in an attempt to detect any sort of danger. Melody's heart pounded against her chest as she watched Bellamy walk through the exposed area.

"That's what I was afraid of…" Whispered Jasper. He shook his head in a disapproving way as they all stared at Bellamy.

Inch by inch he made his way across the clearing. Everyone held their breath, half expecting to see a spear come flying out of the woods. When he managed to get across uninjured, Melody sighed in relief and began to follow after him immediately. Jasper's hand shot out and wrapped around her wrist.

"Careful. Slowly." He whispered in her ear, before letting go of Melody and following her into the clearing.

Bit by bit, the remainder of the group made their way to the grounder hideaway. Melody led the group, and she was hurrying as fast as she possibly could, despite Jasper's warning. If Bellamy had made it, then she could make it. The grounders wouldn't just let him go across and risk him getting into one of their homes.

When they finally made it across, Bellamy slowly lifted up the hatch. The drop wasn't very long, but it was unsettling. Melody could see what appeared to be a narrow, stone corridor. There was little light in the place. Sunlight flooded in through the open hatch, but that was about it. It looked like something out of a nightmare…The place gave Melody the chills.

"Alright. I'll go in first." Bellamy suggested in a whisper as he began to slowly lower himself into the hole. "When I'm in, you jump." He ordered Melody, looking up at her sternly, as if he could already anticipate the argument that was about to unfold.

"What?" Hissed Melody, her eyes widening with surprise and also a hint of terror. Jumping into a deep, dark hole in the ground was not on her to-do list. "I'll break my neck!" One of the disadvantages of being small was the fact that you were a bit more breakable than the others. Melody doubted her legs could support her body when it came to such a drop; not without breaking, of course. "I'll _die._"

"Stop acting like you're some fragile flower." Ordered Bellamy with a roll of his eyes. "You'll be fine. I'll be there to catch you."

"Oh, that's _so_ reassuring. I'd rather not jump to my death today."

"You've got the bow. I need you in there to watch my back while everyone else gets in."

"Why can't _I _lower myself in? And then you can jump."

"Because I've got at least a head and a half on you. Face it Melody. It'll be easier for me to get myself down there than you. Stop being difficult."

"Oh _fine._" Melody said, frowning down at Bellamy, who had lowered all but his head and shoulder into the hole. He was holding himself up with just his arms, the show off. And when Melody thought about it, that was probably why he was allowed to go in first. She wasn't strong enough to make it down there in one piece. Or maybe she was, but they weren't going to take the chance.

Bellamy's head disappeared. They heard the softest thudding sound after a moment, accompanied by a soft grunt. Melody knew that if she'd tried to do that, things would not have ended well. It was hard to imagine all the grounder woman getting in and out of these places. If there even _were_ grounder women…But Melody figured there must be, if they were keeping their species alive. Those women were probably just as crazy and dangerous as the men. Maybe that's why they could jump in and out of holes in the ground like it was nothing.

"Melody, come on. We don't have all day." Bellamy's voice floated up towards them from the bottom of the hole.

A sigh left Melody's lips as she crawled towards the hole and sat down on the edge, allowing her legs to dangle. When she leaned over to look for Bellamy, she was relieved to find that the little corridor wasn't as dark as she had thought. Bellamy was waiting for her, both of his arms outstretched. Seeing him down there made Melody a bit less nervous, but she really wasn't looking forward to the short drop.

_Don't think about it. _

Taking her own advice, Melody closed her eyes and leapt into the hole. The drop was surprisingly short, and Melody immediately knew that she could have done it by herself if she had half a mind to. Bellamy's arms were strong, but very hard, when she fell into them. Bruising was inevitable. But when she looked up and saw him grinning down at her, she could suddenly care less about the bruises.

"I've got your back." Melody whispered as stepped away from him and pulled the bow over her head. "Help them get down here."

Bellamy nodded and turned back towards the hole in order to offer Finn his hand. Melody pulled an arrow out of her sheath and loaded it into the string. She didn't really know how to use a bow yet, but she figured it was best to keep that little bit of information to herself. Melody figured that if a grounder got close enough, she could easily shoot him. The corridor wasn't wide enough for the arrow to go anywhere else. Luckily, it wasn't long distance shooting.

One by one the rest of them filed into the little corridor. First Finn, then Monroe, and finally Jasper. Melody kept her eyes peeled, but there was no immediate danger. She didn't know where the grounder had gone, but it didn't seem like he would be coming back any time soon. Nevertheless, she didn't allow herself to slack off. She stood at attention while Bellamy was getting everyone inside, and then she led the way.

The "hallways" were long, but there were not very many of them. Melody found herself surprised to see that the underground area was much like a little house. There were several rooms -all of which they checked before continuing- and they were all connected by a system of corridors. It was dark and creepy, but it was also kind of home-like. For some weird reason, Melody found herself picturing a little grounder family living in this place. How did they live? Like her people? Did they sleep in beds and eat breakfast at a table and spend the day doing various household tasks? It seemed impossible, but the more Melody saw of the place the less convinced she was of the grounder's lack of civilization.

"Melody, stop." Bellamy commanded, once more throwing his arm out to keep her from advancing.

"What is it?" Mel whispered, raising the bow a bit more as she tried to see around the corner.

"The main room." He whispered, taking a step forward. "I'll go in. You guys stay here. If shit turns bad, make sure you run."

Melody nodded stiffly. Everyone knew that she wouldn't leave Bellamy here to die even if something did go wrong. Even Bellamy knew it, but he still hoped that maybe she would use her common sense. It was obvious that he would never continue if she didn't agree, so Melody decided to humor him.

Bellamy peeked his head around the corner cautiously, and then froze suddenly. Melody stepped to his side, bow drawn, ready to shoot whatever was in there. To her surprise, she wasn't met with an enemy. The only grounder in sight was laying on the floor, looking as if he had been knocked out. His body was sprawled in a way that suggested he hadn't just fallen asleep or anything. What surprised her even more was the other person in the room.

Chained to the wall on the far end of the room was Octavia.

"Bellamy?" Her voice was filled with both relief and confusion when she saw her brother standing in the doorway.

"Octavia!" Bellamy was across the room in a moment and knelt by her side. He checked his sister over urgently for a few seconds and was glad to find that she was unharmed.

"Get the key!" Urged Octavia desperately, nodding her head to the shining piece of metal on the ground. Bellamy grabbed the key and brought it to the padlock that was keeping Octavia's chains on the wall. He couldn't seem to get the lock undone fast enough for either of their likings.

Melody walked into the room, her eyes trained on Octavia. The raven-haired girl looked up at Melody with big, hazel eyes that were full of too many emotions to count. Melody wanted nothing more than to bend down and hug Octavia, but 1) the girl was chained, and 2) they didn't have any time to waste. The grounder wouldn't be down forever.

"Monroe, guard the door!" Bellamy ordered, as he finally managed to unbind Octavia's chains. The moment her hands were unbound, Octavia leapt at Bellamy and drew him into her arms. They clung to one another, with Bellamy tying to soothe the almost hysterical girl. "Shh, it's okay. You're okay."

Melody was so relieved that she forgot where they were for a moment. All she could think about was how happy and relieved she was to see Octavia alive and well. Melody wanted to hold the other girl close and never let her go. It was an odd feeling, one that she'd never felt before. Melody always wanted to protect her friends, of course, but with Octavia it was different. _She _was different.

Octavia was Melody's best friend.

The two girls collided in a hug that was nearly painful. Melody wrapped her arms firmly around Octavia and felt her breath leave her in a soft sigh. Her eyes fluttered shut and Melody just stood there for a few moments, surprised at how much she had truly missed the other girl. It took situations like this to realize how much someone really meant to you. And luckily, in their case, they hadn't realized it too late.

"I'm so glad you're here." Octavia whispered when she finally pulled away and looked at Melody with a small smile. Melody could only smile and nod her head in response. She knew that there were no words to convey her feelings at the moment.

"I'm here, too." Jasper said softly, grinning at Octavia pointedly.

It was then that she seemed to notice him for the first time. "How did you find me?" Octavia threw herself at Jasper, wrapping her arms around him immediately.

"Followed him." Jasper said, with a soft laugh and a nod towards the grounder on the floor.

That seemed to bring Octavia back to the present.

"We should go. Now." Urged Octavia, looking down at the grounder with a frown. Surprisingly, she didn't look scared. Just anxious. "Before he wakes up."

"He's not going to wake up." Bellamy declared as he circled the male for a moment before grabbing a spear that was propped up against the wall. Melody's grip on her bow tightened in response as she looked down at the grounder.

"Bellamy, stop." Octavia said, limping towards her brother. "He didn't hurt me. Let's just go."

"They started this. Finn, move."

Finn was crouched by the grounder, examining something that was wrapped around his waist. Melody crouched down beside him, looking at the item with interest. It was made of wood and it had strange designs and symbols on it. Melody had never seen anything like it.

"Fog horn." Finn announced quietly.

Melody barely had time to blink before everything was happening. One moment she was crouched beside Finn, and in the next she was rolling across the floor. There was a sharp pain in Melody's shoulder as she collided with the stone floor. There was another pain in her side, but it wasn't from any sort of collision.

She'd been pushed.

When Melody sat up, she saw more than one confusing sight in front of her. Head still dizzy, she managed to crawl towards where her bow had fallen. The sheath was still strapped to her side, but the arrows had fallen out and were scattered across the floor. Melody grabbed blindly for the arrows and -after several tries- managed to grab one. She brought it to her bow and loaded the string, only to finally see the sight in front of her.

Bellamy and the grounder were struggling back and forth on one side of the room. The spear was between the two of them as the both of them fought to gain control of the weapon. Melody raised her bow slightly, her arms a bit shaky as she pointed it at the grounder. She knew that her aim wasn't good. Her chances of hitting the grounder were as good as her chances of hitting Bellamy.

On the other side of the room was Finn. He was laying in Octavia's arms, fighting to catch his breath as she gingerly cradled him. Melody was confused until she saw the knife sticking out of his side. A gasp left her lips as she stumbled towards him, her eyes wide and filled with tears. One hand gently pressed against her aching side, and Melody knew now why she'd been shoved aside so roughly.

The knife had been meant for her.

"Oh Finn, I'm so sorry." Melody whispered to him, before climbing to her feet once more and facing the battle that was being fought across the room.

Bellamy was pinned to the ground with the spear at his throat. Melody's movements were more sure know as she swung the bow up and loaded the arrow. She drew back the string and loosened her grip on the end slightly. One eye slid close, and she was just about to let the arrow sail forward when suddenly, the grounder slumped forward.

They all stared in surprise as Jasper looked down at the fallen grounder. He'd managed to knock the grounder out again, and had bought them a few more minutes. And right now, they could use as much time as they could get.

Melody lowered the bow and pulled it over her head once more as everyone ran to Finn. She bent down and quickly gathered her scattered arrows as Bellamy lifted Finn into his arms. Jasper wrapped his arm around Octavia, and they began to move towards the exit.

Melody walked beside Bellamy, staring straight ahead with a solemn expression on her face. Her mind was racing and her heart was heavy. All she wanted to do was curl up in a ball and pretend that this whole day had never happened. But she couldn't do that. Because as always, she had to be the one to protect them. She _needed_ to be the one who protected them. So, she kept her bow raised and her eyes moving. They wouldn't be taken by surprise again.

"This isn't your fault, Melody." Bellamy said from beside her, giving the small girl a worried look as he maneuvered his way through the corridors with Finn in his arms. "It isn't your fault Finn got hurt."

Melody just smiled sadly at Bellamy and gave her head one slow shake to show that she understood what he was saying, but she didn't agree. It _wasn't _her fault that Finn had shoved her out of the way. That was his call. Even after all of the mean things she had said to him earlier in the day, he still did his best to protect her.

But the knife had been meant for her, and Melody knew that. She couldn't stop herself from feeling responsible. If Finn died, it was on her. Melody was going to do whatever she could to help Clarke save his life. And if he lived, she was going to do whatever she could to make things between them right again. Life was too short for grudges.

"Don't blame yourself, okay?" Pleaded Bellamy, obviously not satisfied with Melody's silence. "You _can't_ blame yourself for any more stupid shit."

Melody looked up at Bellamy and thought about his words for a few moments. There was a lot of grief in her heart and a lot of guilt tearing up her mind on a daily basis. There was Jason, of course, and there was her mother; two people she had hurt beyond repair. There was Charlotte, who she couldn't save. There were the people on the Ark who were dead because of a radio that Melody failed to win back. There were her friends; Clarke, Jasper, Monty, Finn, Octavia, and Bellamy. All of whom she had either lied to or hurt in one way or another, even if it was intentional. All of whom she had affected negatively with her careless words or actions. So to say that Melody blamed herself for a lot of "stupid shit" was pretty accurate. She did a lot of stupid shit to be blamed for.

There was a reason for this.

With a small frown and a slight shrug, Melody avoided Bellamy's question. Rather than assure him that she wouldn't continue to blame herself, -which she most likely would- Melody decided to make a broad statement that pretty much summed up her entire existence.

"We hurt those we love the most."


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Clarke! Where's Clarke?" Jasper's voice resonated throughout the entire camp and probably the forest beyond it. He and Octavia stumbled through the camp gates, both out of breath and looking very panic stricken. "Get Clarke. _Now._" Commanded Jasper, sending a serious but anxious look in the direction of a younger camper -his name started with an "m", something like Mason or Michael or Miles- who was standing near the entrance.

There was no need for the boy to get Clarke, though, because the blonde doctor had heard the shouting from across the camp. She started out walking towards Jasper, but once she saw the look on his face and heard the urgency in his voice she broke out into a run. Clarke reached them within seconds and, her own face marred with worry.

"Hey, I'm here." She said softly, soothingly. "What's up?" Her gaze then traveled to Octavia and her eyes widened slightly in surprise. A gentle smile spread across her face as she reached out to place a hand on Octavia's shoulder. "Octavia."

Clarke's smile and friendly demeanor didn't last long.

The gate was kicked open then, and the remainder of the group filed into camp. Bellamy was in the lead, gingerly cradling Finn's limp body in his arms. Monroe was right behind him, looking more like she was relieved to be home than worried about Finn's health. Melody had taken up the rear, walking slowly backwards with a fierce scowl in place. Her bow was raised in an attempt to scare off any grounders that might have been lurking. God knew she couldn't actually use the damn thing.

Clarke went from concerned friend to hysterical mistress in a matter of moments when Finn's body came into view, the knife still sticking out of his side. "Finn? Oh my god." Her voice broke, showing just how worried and scared she truly was.

They all watched in silence as Clarke searched for a pulse. Everyone except for Raven, who had now joined the group with a gasp and a look on her face that made Melody wonder if she wasn't about to be sick. "Oh my god. Oh my god." Raven said over and over again, watching the scene before her with widened eyes.

It seemed like a lifetime before Clarke finally said, "He's alive."

Jasper was looking so worried that Melody found herself at his side, wrapping one arm around his wait in what was supposed to be a comforting gesture. It did little to appease the boy, who was nervously wringing his hands as he looked at Clarke.

"Bellamy wouldn't let me take the knife out." Said Jasper.

"No, that was a good call." Said Clarke. She could see that Jasper was obviously worried they'd done more damage by leaving the knife in.

Her gaze then turned towards the group of guys that were trying to take Finn from Bellamy's arms. "Get him in the dropship now." Ordered Clarke, her voice still shaky but once again filled with that same old note of authoritarianism.

They immediately began to move towards the dropship, as in sync with one another as possible in order to keep Finn from experiencing further discomfort. Not that he would actually know if the ride was a bit rough; he'd gone unconscious ages ago.

Raven stepped forward, looking kind of scared, kind of hysterical, and really unstable. "Clarke. Can you save him?" Demanded the wide eyed girl.

"No." Clarke shook her head slowly with a frown. "Not me. I need my mother. I need to talk to her."

"There's still no radio." Raven pressed both hands against her temples, looking helpless and angry.

"Raven, _fix it._" When the brown-eyed girl just stood there, looking lost, Clarke's voice raised and she sounded more than ever like a strong, confident leader. "Go!"

Raven ran off and then Clarke turned towards Melody and her friends.

"Hey, Octavia. Are you okay?" Asked Clarke, gripping the girl's arm gently as she looked her over as quickly as possible, searching for any sign of external injuries. Aside from a few scrapes and bruises, along with a heavy limp, Octavia was unharmed.

"Yeah." Octavia nodded quickly and gestured towards the dropship. "Just go."

Clarke nodded her head and began to jog away. She'd only taken a few steps away from their small group when she turned around and looked at Melody. The small redhead stiffened slightly and crossed her arms over her chest. Melody's lips were set in a grim line as she looked at Clarke, not knowing what was about to happen.

_She can't already know he did it for me_, said a quiet, reassuring voice in the back of Melody's head. The voice then turned into a whisper as it added, _please, please don't blame me. _

"Melody, I need you in the dropship." Said Clarke.

Melody couldn't have been more surprised.

Looking at Clarke as if she had sprouted another head, -which was quite possible on Earth- Melody pointed to herself and raised her eyebrows questioningly. "_Me_?"

Clarke nodded once.

"I don't know anything about medicine, Clarke." Melody said, her voice slow and confused as if to say, '_you know that_.'

"I don't need your help with the medical side of things, Melody. I just need…you." There was a hesitancy in Clarke's voice which let Melody know that she hadn't forgotten about the last time they had spoken. So why would Clarke be asking her for help?

Melody looked at Jasper, who also looked very surprised at Clarke's request for Melody to go into the dropship. It was no secret among their friends that Clarke and Melody were no longer on friendly terms.

"She's right." Said Jasper suddenly, causing Melody's confused gaze to swing in his direction. "I think everyone could use a little bit of your strength today, Melody."

_My strength? _Wondered Melody with a frown. _What strength? _

Nevertheless, Melody gave Jasper a gentle pat on the arm and then she slowly followed after Clarke.

When they entered the dropship, things were hectic. Raven was busy working on her water-logged radio in the corner of the room that usually served as Monty's workspace. Finn had been laid across a makeshift bed on the other side of the room and he was still unconscious. Several people were just lingering, either wanting to help or be there to see things get bloody. Everyone loved a good show.

"What can I do?" Melody asked immediately, looking between Clarke and Raven with what she hoped was a hopeful expression on her face.

"Uh, nothing…" Raven said slowly, not even bothering to look up as she continued to re-build her radio.

"We can't do anything until we can contact my mother." Explained Clarke, looking down at the mostly built radio.

"So I should…?" Melody trailed off curiously. She didn't like not being able to help, but it seemed that there was nothing she could do at the moment. The same old feeling of helplessness settled over Melody's mind, and she found herself itching to do _anything._

"Can you check on Finn? Make sure he's still…asleep." Clarke said slowly, frowning as she bent over Raven's shoulder and began to give the girl orders in a hushed voice.

Melody nodded her head and turned around to check on Finn. For a few moments she had forgotten about the small crowd -very small, only about five or six people- that had surrounded Finn. When Melody saw the group standing around Finn, eagerly trying to gaze at his wounded chest, she felt her anger bubbling to the surface.

"You." Snapped Melody, pointing to the stragglers that were hanging around Finn's bedside and trying not to look suspicious. It didn't surprise Melody to see that it was the younger kids who were hanging around Finn. They didn't seem to understand the severity of anything, which was becoming increasingly annoying with every tragedy that struck the camp. "Get lost."

"B-but, we were just-" Stammered a young girl, who looked between Finn and Melody very quickly.

"_Out._" She snarled, pointing her finger towards the exit. "This is an infirmary. It's not a place for you to play."

"Sorry, Miss." One boy shook his head rapidly and looked up at Melody with big, blue eyes. He couldn't have been older than fifteen. And he very much looked like a child who was getting scolded for misbehaving. "We just wanted a look."

"Don't you get it? People are _dying_ all the time. This is serious! The bad things that happen to us shouldn't be used as a means of entertainment." Melody looked between the few of them, clearly exasperated. If she had her way -which she usually did- no one would be ogling Finn in his injured state just for kicks and giggles.

"Just wanted a bit of excitement is all." Another boy said with a sheepish shrug, hesitantly smiling up at Melody as if his boyish charm would somehow soften her.

"Yeah? I see you lurking around here again and the next bit of excitement you're going to get is my foot up your ass."

They all left the dropship in a hurry after that. Melody checked on Finn, glad to see that he was still unconscious. _And_ breathing.

When Melody spun back around to confirm that he was "asleep", she saw that both Clarke and Raven were staring at her. Melody immediately paused, her hand reaching up to rub nervously at the back of her neck. The look of surprise on Raven's face as she flat-out gawked at Melody made her feel uneasy. And the smile on Clark's face did nothing to calm her frazzled nerves.

"What?" Questioned Melody after a few moments of awkward staring.

"_That._" Said Clarke, her smile widening slightly. This time, it actually managed to reach her eyes. Two pools of blue warmed slightly as they gazed upon Melody with an almost sort of fondness. "That is why I need you in here."

"To threaten people?" Melody snorted, her arms crossed over her chest in an easy pose rather than a defensive one. One foot hooked around the opposite ankle as Melody crossed her legs as well, leaning back against the wall for support. "Bellamy could have done that."

"No. I need you here because you're one of the only campers with a good head on your shoulders." Clarke explained, somehow always knowing the perfect words to say. "You have this…this _code. _You're so damn loyal. You'll do anything for your friends…even if it means knocking us down a peg or two."

Melody flushed with pride at Clarke's words. "Yeah well…" She trailed off and shrugged her shoulders, pleased but slightly embarrassed by Clarke's words. "Someone has to."

The words _friends _and _us _echoed in her mind over and over again as she looked at Clarke, who had stopped smiling at her and was back to speaking with Raven. Did this mean that Clarke counted herself as one of Melody's friends now? She, Melody, didn't want to get her hopes up. She wanted to remain cool and composed. She wanted to pretend that she couldn't care less about Clarke and her decision on whether or not they were still friends. But in the end, Melody couldn't stop herself from smiling.

After a few minutes of just standing around, Melody excused herself to get some boiled water, knowing that Clarke would eventually need it. Raven was so engrossed in her radio that she barely even looked up. Clarke nodded her head, but she was busy staring outside at the impending storm.

Melody stepped outside and immediately stumbled back a step or two when she was hit by the force of the wind. Rain was falling from huge, black storm clouds that loomed overhead menacingly. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but there was no sign of lightning…Yet. Figuring she might as well get the water while it was still safe, Melody hurried over to the covered basin and began to fill up the bottles that she had clipped to her belt.

As soon as the third bottle was full, Melody felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned her head, squinting through both the rain and the stray pieces of her hair that whipped around in every direction. It took a few moments for her to realize that Bellamy was facing her, with one arm shielding his face from the rain as he bent closer to be heard over the sound of the storm.

"We're heading out!" Bellamy shouted, his voice somehow rising above the shrill shrieking of the wind.

"Heading out?" Questioned Melody with a frown as she finished clipping the last bottle to her belt. When she turned to fully face Bellamy, both of her hands fell on her hips. "Where are you going?"

Bellamy looked hesitant, as if he didn't want to tell her. It was a few moments before he answered her, sounding sheepish but determined. "To find that grounder."

"Bellamy, no. It's not worth it. Going back into grounder territory is dangerous."

"He took Octavia and he stabbed Finn. We're not going to forget about that, Melody."

"He _saved_ Octavia!" Argued Melody. She, for one, believed her roommate's story about how the grounder had cared for her and fixed her injured leg. Bellamy was convinced that the grounder had kidnapped Octavia and kept her there in order to kill her. "Can't it wait?"

Melody brought one hand up to wipe away the rain that was now dripping down her face. With each passing minute the storm grew rougher and wilder. They'd never had bad weather on the ground before. No one really knew what to do in the wake of a thunderstorm, so it seemed that everyone was piling into the dropship with urgency. If they'd had poisonous fog, surely they could have acidic rain.

"No, it can't wait. We're leaving as soon as possible."

"Okay, just let me grab my bow."

"No." Bellamy reached out and pressed his hand firmly against Melody's shoulder, stopping her when she began to move for her tent.

"No?" Mel stared up at Bellamy with a frown. "What do you mean no?"

"I mean no, I'm not letting you go back out there. It's too dangerous."

"Exactly. That's why I need to go with-"

"_No_."

Their gazes locked, brown on green.

Finally, after a few more moments of an intense stare down, Melody sighed and decided to give in on the matter of Bellamy going to find the grounder. Mel would settle if he made her one simple, little promise. "Fine. Just tell me you won't kill him."

"Melody, they've already killed a lot of our people…"

"Tell me you won't kill him."

"…John, Diggs, Roma..."

"Tell me you _won't kill him_."

"…Could already be plotting our down fall…"

"Bellamy!" Melody shrieked, scowling at him with both arms now crossed over her chest. Partially to ward off the chill that was quickly settling deep within her bones, and partially because it was habit.

"Fine!" Bellamy was shouting now, but it was because of his anger and impatience rather than his desire to be heard over the storm. "I won't kill him. We'll just question him."

Melody was relieved. She shouldn't have been, but she was. The grounder may have stabbed Finn -in an attempt to stab her- but he had also taken care of Octavia. He had saved her from the other grounders. And he had blown the foghorn to draw the grounders back to their village when they'd been about to attack. Somehow it didn't feel right to kill him when he had saved them more than once.

"Okay." Mel nodded her head in agreement, which sent water flying every which way. "Be safe." She ordered, placing one hand on gently Bellamy's arm. She gave it a gentle squeeze, reassuring herself that he would be fine. It was Bellamy, after all.

"No one will be out in this storm." Bellamy said, his gaze falling to the dainty hand that rested upon his bicep. All traces of anger seemed to have dissolved for a moment. Now, he seemed like he wanted to assure her that they would be safe out there. As if Melody would ever have believed that.

"Still, be careful. They're unpredictable." She pointed out, causing Bellamy to nod in understanding and agreement.

Rather than telling her to be safe too, Bellamy just nodded his head once more and then gave her an order that was so _Bellamy. _"Get your ass inside. You'll come down with pneumonia if you stay out here. The last thing I need is another wounded soldier."

"Sir Yes, sir." She gave him a mock salute.

Melody let go of Bellamy's arm as he pulled away and shouted for the rest of his group to follow him. Without another word, Bellamy turned around and led his group further and further from the safety of camp. Mel watched for a few moments as their backs disappeared into the forest and the gate was shut behind them.

Not wanting to get caught up in the storm, Melody looked around the camp once to make sure that no one was left outside. Unlike Melody, they had all been smart enough to get out of the storm before it had gotten so heavy. Seeing that it was only her left outside, Melody hurried into the safety and warmth of the dropship.

Melody was greeted by a surprising and amazing sight. Raven was sitting at her -or Monty's- little bench, talking into the microphone that was attached to her headset. Melody could hear static from the radio, and then a few voices that were accompanied by another great amount of static. Everyone pressed closer to try and hear what was being said.

"This is Raven Reyes. I'm from Mecha Station. I'm transmitting from the ground. The hundred are alive." Raven said eagerly, speaking as loudly and clearly as she possibly could. "Please, you need to get Doctor Abby Griffin. Doctor Abby Griffin. Now."

There was a male's voice coming through the speakers as he said something about trying to boost the signal. People immediately began to chatter, all of them excited about having made contact with someone from The Ark. While everyone began to talk, Melody pushed herself to the front of the room until she was standing beside Clarke and Raven.

"The Ark?" Asked Melody, her eyes widening in surprise and delight.

"Yes." Agreed Clarke with a nod before she shifted her nervous glance in Finn's direction. "We're trying to get my mother on the radio."

"Good." Melody said softly, giving Clarke the biggest smile she could manage. "She'll be able to help us, Clarke. I know she will."

Clarke nodded her head in agreement. She was about to say something else when suddenly they heard a new voice on the radio.

"Raven? Are you there?" The voice was distinctively feminine and anxious.

Clarke froze for a moment and turned to look at Raven with wide eyes. She bent closer to the microphone, half-leaning on the table in front of her as she tried to speak into the small device.

"Mom? Mom, it's me." Clarke said slowly, looking at the radio.

There was a few moments of hesitation before the woman answered. "Clarke?"

"Mom, I need your help. One of our people was stabbed by a Grounder."

Another voice came onto the radio. Melody recognized this voice immediately. It was the voice of the Chancellor. A tall, dark-skinned man who walked around the Ark with his head held higher than the rest of them. The Chancellor was the one who decided what happened to criminals. He was the one who had locked them up, floated their parents, and sent them down to Earth to die.

None of the delinquents liked him much.

"Clarke. This is the Chancellor. Are you saying there are survivors on the ground?"

"Yes. The Earth _is_ survivable. We're not alone."

There was a pause. No one said anything.

"Mom, he's dying." Clarke interrupted the silence and looked over at Finn worriedly. "The knife is still in his chest."

"Clarke. Is my son with you?" The Chancellor again.

Everyone grew quiet. They all looked to Clarke, suddenly solemn at the mention of Wells Jaha. He'd been one of the first ones to die on Earth. Charlotte had killed him. And now, they were both dead. Everyone waited to see how Clarke would address the situation with the Chancellor.

"I'm so sorry. Wells is…Wells is dead."

Silence from the Ark.

The delinquents were also silent. Wells' death was fresh in their minds. And while no one had particularly _liked _the boy -due to the fact that he was the Chancellor's son- they all still felt the loss. So many lives had been lost at this point. Melody, who had been on decent terms with Wells, mourned him once more. And then she thought of his father. The man who had floated her very own father. The man who had sent her down to Earth to die. And she couldn't find it in her heart to hate him. At least not in this moment. Not when he had just found out about the fate of his son. And as much as the rest of the 100 hated Chancellor Jaha, they all cast their gazes downwards and mourned with him.

"May we meet again." Whispered someone from the back of the room. There were several murmurs of agreement as people echoed the words.

The Chancellor did not come back on the radio. Melody didn't figure he would be up to talking any more, considering everything. It was a few minutes before they could hear Abby's voice on the radio once more. Melody's heart lurched and she hoped that the woman would be able to help them fix Finn.

"I'm going to talk you through it, step by step." Said Abby, much to their relief.

_Maybe there is hope for Finn after all. _

The dropship creaked then, the metal groaning in protest as the wind relentlessly tried to uproot everything in its path. Everyone looked to the doors in annoyance and worry. Melody sat herself on the edge of Finn's bed and ran her fingers through his hair, pulling it back away from his forehead.

"Clarke, you need to find…" Abby's voice cut out and they heard only static.

"What?" Shouted Clarke, looking at the radio with a frown. "Raven, what's wrong?" Clarke moved away from Finn and towards Raven, who was busily trying to reconnect the radio.

"It's not the radio. It's the storm." Raven insisted, as she desperately tried to get the red light on the radio to come on once more.

They all frowned as they looked first at the radio and then towards the door of the dropship, which remained open. The curtain that covered the entrance was flapping wildly with the wind. Rain poured down outside and the thunder rolled, coming closer and closer to their camp.

"It's the connection." Melody said, licking her lips nervously as she continued to run her fingers through Finn's hair. It was more in an effort to calm herself than to soothe him. What did he care? He wasn't even conscious. "So…what happens if the storm wipes it out?"

No one answered, but no one had to.

Raven threw herself into her work furiously, trying her best to make sure that the radio turned back on. Clarke leaned against Finn's bed and closed her eyes tightly. Everyone grew quiet as they did their best to stay off to the sides and out of the way.

Melody's heart sank as she looked down at the boy in front of her. A boy who was one of her closest friends. Finn had been there from the very beginning. And although they'd had their rough patches, the two of them had always had an unspoken connection. It had showed when Finn had protected her from Bellamy -and everyone else- the day she had gotten into a fight. It had showed all of the times the two of them had argued, said harsh things, and then gone on with their lives as if it never happened, not having needed apologies. And it showed now, as Melody sat by his side and gently ran her fingers through his hair while whispering soft, encouraging words to him.

This was Finn. _Her _Finn. A Finn that was different from both Clarke's Finn and Raven's Finn. He was the peacemaker. The first one to volunteer to help and the last one to give up on things. Well, except for that one time when he was going to let them kill Jasper…but that was forgiven. The same boy that she had threatened to kill not even a day earlier over a few petty words. And now here he was, dying on a table in front of her. And there was absolutely nothing Melody could do that would stop Finn's impending death. She wasn't a doctor, she wasn't a mechanic, and she sure as hell wasn't a miracle worker. They all knew what would happen if Abby couldn't communicate with them.

Finn would die.

|oOo|

Melody and Octavia entered the dropship some time later, both of them soaked from the rain outside that had only worsened over the last half hour. Each of them carried a metal jug in their hands, both of which were filled to the brim with moonshine. Monty and Jasper had set up their own make-shift still and had been producing moonshine by the gallon for several days. Not only was it a great pick-me-up, but it was also an amazing disinfectant.

"Ugh, Monty's moonshine?" Asked Clarke as she took the metal container from Melody's hands and inhaled the moonshine's strong scent.

"Pretty sure no germ could survive it." Octavia said with a small smile as she bent down and began to pour it into a small bowl.

Melody wanted to help, but the two girls looked like they could handle it. So, Melody busied herself with pulling off her jacket and hanging it up to dry. That left her in a black tank top, which was rather damp, and her jeans which were as soaked-through as her jacket. The wet clothing stuck to her body in a rather uncomfortable way, but it would be no use to change now, when the storm was still so heavy.

Once again there was the sound of the dropship creaking as the storm outside continued to grow louder. Melody turned to look at the open entrance, where the curtain was still flapping wildly in the wind. There was about as much rain getting inside as there was outside. Clarke and Octavia seemed to notice this as well.

"Storm's getting worse." Clarke commented with a frown. "Monroe, close the doors."

"But we still have people out there." Objected Monroe.

This caused Clarke to frown as she looked from Monroe to the open door. "Monty and Jasper still aren't back yet." She said softly.

"Neither is Bellamy." Added Octavia.

"It's okay. They'll find somewhere to ride it out." Clarke assured her.

From across the room, Raven was making an impatient noise as she hurried towards Clarke. Her hand was held high and whatever she held was glittering in the light. "One stitching needle." She announced.

"Great. I still need something to close the wound."

"There's some wire on the second level." Octavia looked up at Clarke as she finished disinfecting the last of the tools. "I used it on the tents."

Clarke told Octavia to get it, so the girl nodded her head and began moving for the ladder that would lead to the second level. Melody took her place, making sure that all of the tools were as clean as they could get them. If Finn went septic, it would mean another trip to find some of the red seaweed Clarke had brought back last time. And none of them could make the trip in weather like this.

"Stay away from the blue wires that run through the ceiling. I rigged it to the solar cells in the roof." Raven called after Octavia, who didn't look up as she hurried towards the ladder. With a frown, Raven raised her voice slightly. "That means they're hot! You got that?"

"Yeah. I got that." Retorted Octavia in a bored tone.

Something about Raven's tone of voice made Melody scowl. Perhaps it was her more defensive side coming out. She didn't like the way Raven seemed to talk down to Octavia. Sure, Octavia may not have been a mechanic, but she wasn't an idiot. "Solar" was a pretty universal term. The last thing Melody needed now was another know-it-all.

"She's not deaf." Said Melody shortly.

Raven looked at Melody with a somewhat surprised expression on her face. "Excuse me?" And then her gaze darkened, and she took one step towards Melody. As everyone knew by now, Mel wasn't the type of girl to be intimidated by much. _Especially _not some pompous mechanic that thought she was superior just because she'd gotten off of Mecha. Not everyone had that opportunity.

So, Melody took two steps forward and was about to take a third when Clarke stepped in between them.

"Cool it." Ordered Clarke as she looked between the two of them with a frown. "Right now we need to concentrate on helping Finn."

Melody and Raven glowered at each other for a few more moments. Eventually, Melody grew bored glaring and reached out to grab the half-empty container of moonshine. She brought it to her lips and took a deep swallow, allowing the liquid to warm her up. Clarke was right; there was no sense in fighting right now. They all needed to be on the same side, if only for a little while.

While she was trying to drown her sorrows, Raven and Clarke had turned to look at one another.

"Tell me you can do this." Urged Raven.

Clarke didn't answer.

"Hey, they're back!" Shouted a voice from the front of the ship.

Everyone turned to look at the entrance to the dropship. When Bellamy stepped through the threshold, Melody felt relieved.

"Bellamy!" Octavia began to lower herself from the ladder.

Melody was smiling, but that smile soon faltered when she saw the rest of the group walk in behind Bellamy. At first, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary. But the sound of something being dragged across the ground made her frown and she moved closer to get a better look. It didn't take Melody long to recognize the body they dragged behind them.

Laying in the middle of the floor was the grounder.

Blindfolded and chained up, he looked as if he had been knocked out. Blood dripped from one of his temples. His chest was bare and dirt coated his body, suggesting that they had been careless when transporting him to camp. It wouldn't have been surprising if they'd just dragged him the whole way; they had no tact.

"The hell are you doing?" Demanded Octavia as she stared between Bellamy and the grounder.

"Time to get some answers."

"Oh. You mean revenge?" Octavia sounded as angry as Melody felt.

"I mean _intel_." Corrected Bellamy with a frown.

Melody began to walk towards him, but Bellamy shot one hand out to keep her back. When their eyes met, Melody could see what Bellamy was trying to say. _It's dangerous. _But as far as Melody could see, there was only one dangerous man in front of her. And it definitely wasn't the one who was blindfolded and chained up on the floor. Still, she didn't move forward. Instead she just watched Bellamy with a scowl and both arms crossed tightly over her chest as she waited to see what his next move would be.

Bellamy turned to look at the boys who carried the body. "Get him upstairs."

Melody felt sick to her stomach as she watched the body get carried away. When she'd made Bellamy promise not to kill the grounder, she figured that would ensure his safety. How wrong she was…Whatever Bellamy had planned was apt to be much worse than death. The way he said those words, _time to get some answers,_ made Melody's skin crawl. She didn't doubt they would get answers…but what would it take?

Clarke moved forward then, to voice her own displeasure.

"Bellamy, she's right." Clarke insisted, backing up Octavia.

Bellamy looked angry for a moment, but then his head snapped upwards in surprise. Once again there was static coming from the radio, and then they could hear Abby's voice informing Clarke that they were ready to do the procedure. At the voice of the Ark's doctor, Bellamy's gaze darkened and then got this far-away look that Melody didn't recognize.

"Look, this is not who we are." Continued Clarke with a frown as she looked up at Bellamy.

In the background they could hear Abby's voice calling for Clarke, but most eyes were trained on the two leaders. Things between Clarke and Bellamy were almost always tense when it came to the big decisions. Clarke used logic, Bellamy used instinct…Usually, Clarke could sway Bellamy to her side. But not today.

"It is now." He said simply, before turning and walking away from her.

**So this is kind of just a filler chapter because I had a sudden burst of inspiration and finished it quickly. As you can tell, we're about half-way through season one right now, which means we're about half way through the first book. Which is CRAZY. Let me know what you think of the story so far. Thank you to everyone who reads! 3 **


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

It took Clarke well over half an hour to convince Melody that she needed to go upstairs, where the boys were currently tying up the grounder that they had brought into camp. Although the rest of the delinquents had been rounded up and sent to the second level by Raven, Melody had stayed behind and insisted that she wanted to help. It took both Clarke _and_ Raven -who was not exactly Melody's favorite person at the moment for _obvious_ reasons- to point out the logic behind Melody helping upstairs rather than downstairs.

"We don't need your help, Melody." Said Clarke, for probably the hundredth time. "Raven and I can handle this."

"You said you wanted me here." Melody pointed out, suddenly sounding slightly hurt that she too was being kicked to the curb like the rest of the campers.

"I did. I _do._" Clarke reached out to gently place a hand on Melody's shoulder in a soothing sort of way. "But I think Bellamy needs you more than I do."

"_Bellamy_?"

Clarke nodded.

"Clarke, I think Bellamy can handle things by himself. He seems to be doing alright." There was a hint of bitterness in Melody's voice as she cast a glance towards the upper level's closed hatch.

"We both know that this isn't right, Mel."

"What am _I _supposed to do about it, Clarke? I tried to go to him. He didn't even let me get close enough to ask what had happened." The memory of Bellamy putting out his hand to stop her from advancing was still fresh in Melody's mind.

"If you just talk to him now, maybe he'll…" Clarke trailed off, looking for the right words.

"What? Let the grounder go?" Melody laughed, but it was a bitter sound that held no traces of amusement. "Bellamy Blake listens to no one."

"It's different with you." Interjected Raven, who was quickly becoming impatient as she looked down at Finn with a worried frown.

Melody turned her head to stare at the dark-haired mechanic. When she could help it, Melody didn't speak to the newcomer. The two of them had been on rocky ground ever since she had come down to Earth. At first, it was nothing Raven had intentionally done. She had come to the ground looking for her boyfriend Finn, who was by then already shacking up with Clarke. The hurt look on Clarke's face had been enough for Melody to dislike the girl being on Earth. And then, when she had tried to jump at Bellamy the night of the Ark's funeral, Melody had decided that she had little use for Raven Reyes. The little things she'd done ever since had just furthered Melody's distaste for her; _especially_ the way she was constantly clinging to Finn and the way she had talked condescendingly to Octavia.

"What do you mean?" Melody asked Raven, too surprised by the other girl's words to remember that they were in the middle of a silent war.

"Anyone can see it. You're one of the few people in this camp that Bellamy actually _likes._ Your opinion will matter to him."

"You can get through to him, Melody." Clarke added.

"You're both crazy." Said Melody.

When had Bellamy ever taken her _feelings_ into account? When he had threatened to kill Jasper? When he had nearly hung Murphy? When he had told Clarke about Jason? Bellamy Blake looked after himself. He listened to himself. And he did whatever the hell he wanted.

_But he made you the bow_, a soft, hesitant voice began to form in the back of Melody's mind. _You really like that bow._

"Please, Melody. I would try to persuade him, but…" Clarke gestured to Finn's body that was resting on the table in front of them. "I need to do this. And quick, before the storm completely knocks out the radio signal."

"Fine." Melody said with a nod as she looked down at Finn. Melody was the reason he had gotten hurt. She definitely wouldn't the one keeping Clarke from operation on him. And damn Clarke Griffin for knowing that her one weakness was her need to keep them all safe and alive. "I'll try and convince Bellamy not to…not to kill him."

"That's all I'm asking." Insisted Clarke, with a reassuring smile on her face.

Melody began to move towards the ladder that led to the second level. She could hear muffled voices coming from above, but they were unclear due to the small hatch that separated the two levels. There was still no denying the almost excited buzzing of chatter from the eighty something people that had been forced onto the second level.

The ladder was easy to climb, and soon enough Melody found herself at the hatch, which had been closed and sealed. She held onto the ladder with one hand and used the other to spin the locking mechanism in a counter-clockwise motion. She soon heard a soft click, and she knew that the little door was now unlocked. Melody pushed the metal hatch open and climbed the remainder of the steps.

Before Melody had even climbed up to the last rung of the ladder, there was a tanned hand extending itself in her direction. Melody's eyes slowly followed that tan hand, which connected to a tan arm, which led to what she assumed was a tan shoulder -beneath the wet tee-shirt that was currently sticking to it-, until they finally fell upon a familiar face. A pair of friendly, dark blue eyes met Melody's. It took her a few moments to recognize the guy who was holding his hand out to help her.

"Fletch!" Melody finally exclaimed after a few moments as she gripped the outstretched hand and hoisted herself to her feet.

"I was wondering if you'd remember me, LittleRed." Fletch replied as he pulled Melody to her feet easily, and then gave her arm another tug to pull her against his chest in a tight hug.

Melody did remember Fletch, although only vaguely. She had met him during their first day on Earth, almost immediately after the dropship had landed. Fletcher was one of Monty and Jasper's friends from the Ark. Melody hadn't seen Fletch even once since that day, which wasn't exactly hard to believe considering how many people lived in the camp.

Although she was a bit surprised to feel his arms wrapping around her body, Melody didn't try to fight the hug. Had it been anyone else, she probably would have shied away from the somewhat intimate physical contact. But there was just something about Fletch that Melody found extremely friendly and almost comforting. He had those big blue eyes, and a smile that made her feel warm inside, despite the cold.

"Of course I remember you. I haven't seen you since we landed." Melody said with a playful frown as she looked up at him. "Where've you been hiding?"

"Oh, you know. Just…around." He waved one hand carelessly, as if it wasn't really important where he had been.

"Uh-huh." Melody gave him a rather patronizing look. "Getting into trouble?"

A grin broke out across his face. "You already know me too well, Melody."

"Trouble seems to be unavoidable down here." She said with a slight shrug.

"Yeah, it does." Fletch grew quiet for a few moments, as if thinking. And then, he gave Melody a sheepish frown. "I heard about Jasper. About what happened with that spear and all."

The mention of Jasper's spearing -that's what they were so tactfully referring to the event as now- caused Melody to frown. It was then that she realized that Jasper's other friends had never come by to see him. It had always just been their newfound friends. Clarke, Finn, and Octavia. That explained the sheepish look Fletcher was giving her right now.

"Yeah. It was rough." Melody said simply.

"I believe you." Fletch said, nodding his head rapidly. "I wanted to see how he was doing. But I didn't want to see him like that. I didn't want to see him all…_dying._" He explained, shuddering slightly at the mere thought of his friend dying.

"It's some heavy shit." Melody said with a shrug. "Seeing your friend dying, I mean."

"Yeah…"

"No one blames you for not coming to see him, Fletch." The guilty expression on the boy's face was making Melody feel a bit antsy. "I doubt we would've even have let you in if you'd tried."

The guilt on the boy's face lessened considerably. But he looked at Melody now as if he wasn't sure he could believe her. "You sure?"

Melody nodded.

Yet another grin broke out on Fletch's face and he pulled Melody in for another hug that felt as if it were crushing her bones. The boy even went so far as to press a kiss against the top of Melody's head. His relief was beyond evident and Melody found herself smiling at his reaction to her simple words.

"You're the best chick I've ever met, Mel." Fletch insisted happily, still hugging Melody against his body as he swayed back and forth with delight.

The whole thing was a bit comical, really. All she'd done was let him off the hook for not visiting Jasper in the infirmary. But Fletcher was acting as if Melody had just handed him the world on a silver platter. Melody opened her mouth to laugh and say something else, but before she could get the words out, she heard another voice calling to her from above.

"Melody! Stop flirting and get your ass up here." Octavia called impatiently.

Melody turned her head to look up at Octavia, who was staring down at her from the third level. Octavia was bent over the small entry way to the third level, looking both furious and terrified as she waited for Melody. The girl was wringing her hands in her lap nervously as she watched Melody and Fletcher from above.

"Yeah, alright!" Melody called back, nodding to Octavia before she turned back to Fletcher.

"Duty calls?" He asked, his gaze traveling to Octavia for a moment before falling back to Melody once more.

"Yeah, something like that." Agreed Melody with an apologetic smile.

"Well hey, I'm sure I'll see you around." Fletcher assured her with a gentle hand placed upon her shoulder. He gave her a comforting squeeze before letting go.

"Definitely. Don't be a stranger. I'm sure the guys would love for you to hang around before you go back into hiding." Insisted Melody with a wide smile. "You should come by the tent. Tomorrow, maybe. They're out doing God knows what right now."

Suddenly, Fletcher was grinning once more.

"What?" Melody looked up at him with a puzzled little smile on her face.

"Jasper and Monty were right about you."

"Right about what?"

"You just fall so easily into everyone's lives."

"Oh." Melody's eyes widened slightly in surprise. She wasn't sure whether that was supposed to be a compliment or not. "Thank you?"

"It's a good thing, Melody. Real good." He assured her with a nod. "Anyways, I'll see you around. Okay?" Fletcher backed up a few steps and offered Melody a small wave before disappearing into the crowd of people. With Fletcher gone, Melody turned and hurried up the next ladder and towards Octavia.

The third level was seldom used. It was smaller than the other two, and was filled with a lot of wiring that no one wanted to touch. Today, it was where Bellamy and his handful of groupies decided to take action against the grounder.

"O, what's wrong?" Asked Melody anxiously as she reached her friend.

"Melody, they're going to hurt him. You've got to stop it. You've _got to._" Octavia insisted as she reached out to grab Melody -painfully- by the arms.

"Octavia, we can fix this. We can…"

That's when she saw it.

The grounder was off to the side of the room, chained to the wall. Long, heavy chains had been wrapped around both of his forearms and kept him anchored there. His feet were not bound, but there was no way he could get very far. If he so much as tried to pull on the chains he would wind up hurting himself. The grounder was unconscious, slouched forward. In front of him, Bellamy paced back and forth, with his knife in his hand.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Fuming, Melody approached Bellamy with her hands clenched into fists at her sides. At the sound of her voice, Bellamy turned and looked at Melody. After a few seconds his eyes narrowed and he was flat out glaring. This only managed to further piss her off, because she had done nothing to deserve his anger.

"Get out of here, sweetheart." Bellamy practically growled the words at her. "This isn't a place for little girls."

"Piss off, Bellamy." Melody's voice was venomous as she practically spat the words at him. "I've got as much a right to be here as your little cronies." She snapped out, turning her glare onto the two boys who had chained up the grounder.

"I'm not screwing around, Melody. You need to leave."

"Neither am I." Melody stood her ground, refusing to be brushed off. "So…this is your master plan? Tying him up and _torturing _him?" She looked pointedly at the knife he was still grasping tightly in his right hand.

"We need information." Said Bellamy, sighing as he realized that Melody couldn't be swayed to leave peacefully.

"This isn't the right way to get it!"

"Then what's the right way, Melody?" Asked Bellamy as he took a step closer to her. The two of them were standing nose-to-nose, frowning at one another with anger and exasperation in their expressions. "Go on then, tell me."

Melody had no answer.

"That's what I thought. You're all so quick to reprimand me, yet none of you have got a better plan."

"Anything is better than _this._" She said, sweeping one hand out to gesture to the man in chains.

"Don't you care about what the grounders have done to our people? The _killed_ John. And Diggs. And Roma." Pointed out Bellamy. "They speared Jasper right through the chest."

"You don't know that it was him!" She protested decisively, with a shake of her head.

"You don't know it wasn't!" Bellamy's voice was an angry growl, and Melody could see that he was quickly losing his limited bit of patience with her. "What about Finn, huh? Don't you care about what _this _grounder did to him?"

"I care about justice. I care about not torturing what could possibly be an innocent man." Melody looked at the grounder, who seemed so fierce and dangerous even in his sleep. "We can't punish him for the actions of his people."

"No, but we can punish him for his own actions."

"What did he do that was so wrong, Bellamy?" Demanded Melody, frowning up at the older man. "He saved your sister, more than once. He was under attack and so he stabbed Finn. It was just self-defense."

"Stop defending him!" Roared Bellamy angrily as he continued forward until he was towering over Melody.

"If I don't defend him, no one will."

There was the sound of metal on metal as the chains began to rattle. Melody's head whipped to the side and she saw the grounder begin to stir. Her eyes darted back towards Bellamy, who was watching the grounder a bit uneasily.

"Whoa. He's awake!" Martin, one of Bellamy's goons, called out excitedly as the grounder's eyes slowly fluttered open.

"Tie him tighter." Ordered Bellamy, as he finally stepped away from Melody to turn his hardened gaze towards Martin and Miller, his most trusted henchmen. "We don't need that bastard getting free because you screwed up."

Melody watched the grounder struggle as he fully regained consciousness. The male thrashed about, trying to free his arms in a panic. It was obvious that he was confused and maybe a bit scared. His eyes traveled between all of them quickly, before coming back to rest on his bindings. Over and over again, he pulled on the metal chains as hard as he could, but to no avail. Then, his panicked gaze darted around the room once more, before coming to land and focus on Octavia, who was now standing beside Melody. As if some magical switch had been flipped, the grounder froze. His eyes almost seemed to soften as he gazed at the raven-haired girl, who stared back at him wordlessly.

Melody wasn't the only one who noticed this.

"Octavia, get out of here." Bellamy ordered, scowling as he looked between the grounder and his sister. The unspoken connection between Octavia and the native was making everyone, Melody included, feel anxious.

"I _told you_. He was protecting me." Octavia insisted, as she moved closer to confront Bellamy. She gestured to the grounder and shook her head. "You didn't have to do this."

"This isn't about you. I'm doing this for all of us."

"You did _that_ for all of us?" Octavia's voice was quiet when she looked back to the grounder.

For the first time, Melody noticed that the grounder's face was covered in dried blood. It looked like someone had hit him in the face and the head repeatedly. His dark eyes stared back at them hauntingly. Melody felt sick to her stomach as she examined the grounder's physical state. Obviously, Bellamy had taken his hatred of the grounders out on the only native he could get his hands on.

"I did that for Finn. And Jasper. And Diggs and John and Roma." Bellamy insisted, looking between Octavia and Melody, who wore identical frowns.

"It wasn't even him!" Protested Octavia.

"You don't know that!" Bellamy shouted. He glared at Melody, as if _she_ was the one who had put those thoughts in Octavia's head. Honestly, it had been the other way around.

Melody looked away, her gaze once more falling on Bellamy's captive. Not only did she pity him, but she felt the oddest urge to protect him. It was an urge that came naturally, but it wasn't how Melody usually felt in regards to their enemies. Innocent or not, this grounder was still an enemy. Melody shouldn't be feeling like she had to keep him safe. In fact, she should be feeling the need to keep _herself_ safe; safe from his murderous glares.

But she didn't. Guilty or not, the grounder had saved Octavia's life. While Bellamy didn't believe his sister, Melody whole-heartedly did. Octavia wasn't an idiot, contrary to popular belief. Siding with the grounder did not make her stupid; it made her human. She felt grateful towards the grounder who had saved her, fixed her injuries, and then saved her again. While they all saw a beast, she saw a hero.

"We need to know what we're up against. How many there are and why they're killing us." Bellamy's words tore Melody away from her thoughts. She watched as he took a few steps towards the grounder, gaze darkening when he looked at the male. "And he's going to tell us."

Octavia reached out for Bellamy. She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him back. She wanted to make him see reason. "No, Bellamy. Please." She begged, shaking her head.

Bellamy looked annoyed as he shook Octavia off. He didn't even glance at her when he snapped out his next command. "Miller! Get her out of here."

Even as Bellamy's goons began to grab Octavia, she was still shouting at her brother. "I was there!" She struggled against the two boys. "Hey. Hey! Get off of me!"

Melody began to head for them, but Bellamy reached out and grabbed her before she took more than two steps. His strong arm wrapped around Melody's midsection, holding her back against his chest and preventing her from going to Octavia's side. Melody felt her anger surge once again as she watched the two boys attempt to get Octavia towards the ladder.

"Get your hands off of her!" Melody fought against Bellamy's hold. "I swear to _God_." Melody let the threat linger in the air between them. She knew in her head that Bellamy would never allow Miller or Martin to hurt Octavia. But in her heart? All she knew was that people did things they regretted. And she was sure that treating Octavia like this would be one of those things Bellamy came to regret.

Behind her, she could hear the sound of the grounder pulling on his chains. When Melody turned her head to look at him, she saw both anger and concern in his eyes. He was trying to get free, to get to Octavia. And somehow, the thought didn't scare Melody. In that moment, she _truly_ realized that Octavia was right. He didn't want to hurt her; he wanted to protect her. Any idiot with a pair of eyes could see that.

Luckily, Octavia managed to shake the two boys off by herself. She glared at them fiercely before she began to walk towards the ladder. Just as she reached it, she turned back around and looked at Melody with a frown.

"I don't even think he speaks English." Octavia said quietly, her voice quivering slightly. And then she turned her gaze towards Bellamy, and there was loathing in her eyes. "He won't understand you." With that, she began to descend down the ladder.

Bellamy had finally released Melody, who stood glaring at him. It disgusted her how easily he could just dismiss his sister, as if she were nothing more than an annoying voice in his ear. And it angered her how eager his henchman were to help rid him of Octavia. Did they not understand how wrong it was to silence her because they didn't agree? Apparently, Melody was the only person in the room with any common decency.

"Oh, I think he will." Bellamy said darkly, although Octavia wasn't around to his words. "Now tell me. What's your name?" He asked aloud, walking closer to the grounder, whose gaze had followed Octavia until she was out of sight.

Now, the grounder only had eyes for Bellamy. The wild man stared back at Bellamy, tilting his head slightly at the question. With Octavia gone, the male's eyes had lost their soft edge. He stared at Bellamy with hatred, but he no longer looked afraid. In fact, it was terrifying how calm he looked.

"What's your name?" Bellamy shouted the question this time, as if raising his voice would help him be understood by a man who was believed to speak another language.

"Bellamy, you don't have to do this." Melody said, shaking her head in disgust as she watched him come face-to-face with the grounder. "Please, _don't _do this."

"Miller-" Bellamy began, but he was quickly cut off by Melody.

"Miller, you come near me and you're going to regret the day you were born." Promised Melody, turning to glower at the boy who had already taken a few steps in her direction.

Miller paused, looking between Bellamy and Melody hesitantly. But with a determined look, he began to stride towards Melody once more. The look on his face was one Melody had seen before. A look of pride and determination and importance. It was then that she realized he was now Bellamy's second in command.

Melody reached down and snatched up the knife that was hanging by at her side, tethered to her belt. The sharp edge gleamed in the light when Melody held it defensively, looking at Miller with a serious expression on her face. "I warned you. Just like I warned Murphy." Melody said, remembering the day she'd stabbed Bellamy's _previous_ Lieutenant in an attempt to keep him away from Jasper.

"Boss?" Miller looked to Bellamy with a frown. He was torn between following the order he'd been given and keeping himself from being stabbed. No one doubted Melody's ability when it came to such matters.

Bellamy sighed irritably as he looked between the two of them. Shaking his head, he turned back towards the grounder. Only when Miller had stepped away from her did Melody slowly return the knife to its resting place. And then, she stepped closer to watch Bellamy and the grounder.

"What's your name?" Bellamy repeated himself for the third time, sounding rather angry and impatient.

Once again, the grounder didn't answer. Melody sighed softly as she watched them. She wanted to do something, but she didn't know what to do. To help the grounder would be betraying her people. Helping Bellamy would be betraying her morals. Melody was at a standstill.

Melody went to step forward, when suddenly there was a loud banging sound. The whole ship seemed to shake, and Melody stumbled slightly before tripping. She fell with one knee bent, almost in a kneeling position. There were several shouts from downstairs as everyone else was shaken by the impact against the ship.

"Miller, go." Ordered Bellamy, who had also been jarred by the impact. "See what's happening downstairs."

Bellamy moved towards Melody to help her to her feet, but Melody ignored his outstretched hand completely. She climbed to her feet and brushed herself off, all the while looking defiantly at Bellamy. When she refused his help, his own expression soured and he retracted his hand slowly.

"I'm doing this to protect you, Melody. To protect all of us." Bellamy said once again as he watched her wearily. No doubt he was thinking about the damage this whole ordeal was doing to their already fragile friendship.

"No, Bellamy. You're making things worse." Melody told him, with a shake of her head. "Don't you see? You're either going to let him go or kill him. If you let him go, chances are he kills us. _Or _he goes back to get his people, who then kill us. And if you kill him, his people are going to find out…and then kill us. See a pattern?"

Bellamy's brow furrowed as he looked down at Melody, thinking over his words. Melody knew it wouldn't be so simple to sway Bellamy to her side. And it didn't really matter anymore; the damage was already done. She was just hoping to minimize the causalities.

"We need to _know_." He said, finally. "We need to know what we're up against or we can't prepare."

"Prepare for _what_?"

"War." He said simply, looking at Melody as if it should have been obvious. "They've already begun killing our people, Melody. Why would they stop now? We can both lay down and die, or we can stand up and fight."

Melody frowned. She'd never thought of it from Bellamy's point of view. The way he saw it, they were already in the middle of a war. They were soldiers who had to fight for and avenge one another. They were no longer children; they were warriors. War was bloody and scary and unpredictable. This was Bellamy's way of getting the upper hand. He wasn't just trying to figure out what they were up against. In the back of his mind, he was trying to develop their battle tactics.

With Bellamy's view in mind, Melody thought things over for a few moments. When it came down to it, she couldn't bring herself to condone what he was doing. Melody refused to give him her blessing on torturing the grounder. Whether they "had to" or not, it was still wrong.

"You've got the choice, Bellamy." Melody said softly. She seemed to always be telling him this, but apparently the words never sunk in.

Bellamy looked away from her then, his gaze falling towards where Miller was climbing back through the hatch. His face hardened once more and he was back to being the guy who had to make all of the hard decisions. It was such a shame that he always ended up making the wrong ones.

"What the hell was that?" Wondered Bellamy. "We under attack or not?"

"Storm damage. We're okay." Miller assured him.

Bellamy nodded curtly before turning back to the grounder. "We're gonna try this one more time." He told the grounder slowly, sounding just as threatening as he looked. But the grounder was not phased. "What's your name?" When the grounder failed to answer, Bellamy continued to rattle off questions. "Where's your camp? How many of you are there?"

He was interrupted by Miller's voice saying, "Hey. Check it out."

Bellamy and Melody both turned to look at Miller, who was holding up some kind of tin container. Miller and Martin were both looking through the grounder's things. Amongst his clothing had been the tin container, and other numerous things that they were pulling out of pockets. Interested, Bellamy walked away from the grounder and went to crouch beside Miller and Martin.

While Bellamy walked away, Melody moved closer. She stood directly in front of the grounder, staring at him with wonder. Slowly, the grounder's gaze went from the boys on the floor to Melody. He stared at her blankly for a few moments, before his gaze narrowed slightly. His eyes left hers and drifted upwards, towards the top of her head.

"What?" Melody asked, as if expecting an answer. Her hands followed his gaze, and she reached up, only to feel nothing out of the ordinary. All she felt was her hair, which was still drawn up into a ponytail and secured by Octavia's ribbon. For a few moments Melody was confused. It was, after all, just hair. It took a few more moments for Melody to piece together why the grounder was staring at her so intently, with just a hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Have you never seen red hair?" Asked Melody, raising her eyebrows slightly.

If Melody wasn't mistaken, the grounder shook his head ever so slightly.

Before she could think better of it, Melody gasped. Octavia had said he didn't speak English. So, why did it seem like he could understand her? And if he could understand her, then he could understand all of them…couldn't he?

"What? Did he do something?" Called Bellamy eagerly, from across the room.

The grounder and Melody stared at one another. His black eyes bore into her green ones, and Melody saw the coldness return to his gaze. His whole body was suddenly tense and he almost seemed to be leaning away from her.

"No." Melody called over her shoulder, shaking her head.

She gazed up at the grounder, who still looked every bit as hostile as he had before. Perhaps Melody had been imagining the whole thing. While he _had_ look interested in her hair, she knew that there was no way he could have shaken his head. He didn't speak English.

"There aren't a lot of redheads on the Ark, either." Admitted Melody, with a hesitant smile. She wasn't sure why she was still talking. It wasn't like he knew what she was saying. But that didn't stop Melody from making idle chitchat. "Not that it's really red. It's more of an orangish, wouldn't you say? Well of course you wouldn't. You can't talk."

"Melody, are you _conversing_ with that…thing?" Asked Miller in a surprised and confused voice. He looked at her like she was crazy.

"He's better company than you guys." Melody snapped back at him, with a scowl. "He actually _listens_ to me."

"Yeah when he's not trying to rip out your throat."

"I'll show you 'rip out your'-"

"Shut it, you two." Ordered Bellamy impatiently. "I found something."

Bellamy held up a little brown journal. At the sight of it, the grounder pulled on the chains once more and made a sound of protest. It became clear immediately that he didn't want them to see whatever was in that book. And that, of course, made Bellamy all the more eager to open it.

Melody watched as he went through the book slowly. Finally, she couldn't resist the temptation. She joined the guys, peering over Bellamy's shoulder as he went through the little journal. From what she could tell, it was some sort of a sketchbook. There were various nature scenes, a drawing of a pretty brunette girl whom they all recognized as Octavia, and a picture of their camp. Next to the drawing of the camp was a lot of little tally marks. Some of them were crossed out, but the majority remained.

"It's our camp. I'm guessing if I counted all those marks, it would add up to 102. Ten are crossed out. That's how many people we've lost." Bellamy said, pointing to the x's that had been drawn over some of the tally marks. He was quiet for a few seconds as he stood up and crossed the room once more. He stood before the grounder with an accusing scowl. "They've been watching us ever since we got here."

The boys went back to pouring over the sketchbook and questioning the grounder about what they saw. Melody was getting tired of it. She was tired of everything, of the whole damn situation. All she wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep and forget that they were in the middle of some kind of grounder war.

Was that too much to ask for?

The sound of the hatch being opened once more caused one of the boys to begin walking towards it. Melody expected to see Octavia trying to force her way back through. Instead, she saw Clarke, who looked tired and pissed off. When one of the guys stood in front of her and tried to stop her from entering the level, she only looked more annoyed.

"Get the hell out of my way." Ordered Clarke.

Bellamy waved her through and Clarke came to stand beside them. Her blue eyes were drawn immediately to the grounder, and Clarke looked at him uneasily. The grounder stared back evenly, looking as angry as he had ever since Octavia walked out of the room.

"Well if he didn't hate us before, he does now." Clarke said, looking at Bellamy.

"Who cares?" He retorted.

"How's Finn?" Asked Melody, looking at Clarke anxiously. If Clarke had left his side, only one of two things could have happened. Either he made it through the procedure or….the latter option was too painful to even think about.

"Alive." Clarke assured her with a nod.

Melody felt relief surge through her body so powerfully that it almost made her drop to her knees. _Alive._ Melody had never realized what a beautiful word it was until they'd come down to Earth. On the Ark, people lived and they died and no one really batted an eyelash. On Earth, life was just so precious.

Melody was so relieved that she barely heard Clarke's next words.

"His people will care." Clarke said, looking at Bellamy with a disapproving frown. It took Melody a few moments to remember Bellamy's heartless comment when Clarke had mentioned the grounder hating them. _Who cares_? And now, she couldn't help but to thank God someone else with a brain was in the room. Hadn't she just said nearly the same thing as Clarke?

Bellamy looked at the rest of them for a few moments before grabbing Clarke by the arm and hauling her over to an abandoned corner. Melody was tempted to follow them, to offer some sort of insight on the situation, but she really couldn't deal with their issues as co-leaders on top of everything else. Instead of trailing behind them, she stood by the grounder and watched Bellamy's goons suspiciously, as if expecting them to try something.

"Don't tell me you're going to protect him if it comes down to it, Melody." Miler scoffed at her, looking bemused when he noticed her defensive stance in front of the prisoner. "He's a _grounder._"

"He is a human being." Melody replied simply, scowling at Miller. She didn't expect him to understand where she was coming from. "And he doesn't deserve whatever your twisted minds have planned for him."

"Why do you even _care_? What did he ever do for you?" Asked Martin.

"I'm not defending him because he did something for me." Snapped Melody, giving the both of them an annoyed look. "It's called human decency. _Everyone _deserves a fair chance."

"Yeah, tell that to the Ark." Muttered Martin.

"We're not the Ark." Miller said, crossing both arms over his chest as he watched Melody with a newfound fascination. For a moment, Melody thought that maybe she'd actually managed to get through to him. But then, he spoke again. "We're the 100. We do what we have to in order to _survive._"

The two of them stared at one another for a few moments. It was then that Melody saw Miller for what he was. The devil horns and pitchfork somehow vanished, leaving in their place a frightened, defenseless boy. And she got the sense that he understood where she was coming from, even if he didn't take her side on the matter. All he wanted to do was ensure his survival. And somehow, that made Melody feel a little bit better.

"We do whatever Bellamy tells us to do." Corrected Martin sullenly. It seemed that he now realized that Miller was just doing his job. It was obvious that Martin didn't enjoy their lack of devotion to Bellamy.

"_You_ do whatever Bellamy tells you to." Melody said, frowning at him. "_I _do what I think is right."

"And what the hell makes you so special, huh?" Martin wondered, glowering down at Melody.

"I-"

Melody opened her mouth to argue, but suddenly there was an audible thud from one of the lower levels. It sounded similar to a body hitting the floor. Tilting her head, Melody attempted to listen for any sign of fighting or yelling. Fights weren't exactly uncommon around camp. Melody herself provoked a lot of them. And the rest of the rights were fueled by teenage hormones and angst.

"What did you hear?" Muttered Miller, who was now looking at Melody with a frown.

"I don't know." Mel whispered softly, shaking her head slightly.

"She didn't _hear_ anything." Martin said obnoxiously, rolling his eyes at the both of them. "She's just avoiding the question."

"It sounded like maybe someone fell or something. I was waiting for someone to start yelling. Maybe it was nothing."

"Oh come off it. You didn't hear shit." Martin said harshly, the glower still present on his face. "Now I'll ask you again-"

"_Clarke! He's seizing!_"

Raven's voice drifted up from the first level, faint because of the distance between them, but still loud enough for everyone to hear the terror and desperation in her voice. No one needed to ask who "he" was. They all knew that it was Finn. Clarke had insisted that he was alive, but obviously something hadn't gone as planned. And with no source of medicine or doctors on Earth, things like seizures could be fatal. Finn wasn't out of the woods yet.

Clarke ran across the room and lowered herself down the hatch. Melody could hear her frantic voice as she ordered everyone on the second level to get out of her way. The sound of her footsteps grew fainter and fainter until they could no longer be heard. When Clarke could no longer be seen or heard, Melody turned her attention back towards Martin.

"What were you saying, you jackass?" Melody scowled at Martin, who still looked just as angry as Melody felt.

"Whatever." Martin dismissed Finn in a way that made Melody's vision take on a red tinge as her anger threatened to boil over. "You didn't answer my question. What makes you so special, sweetheart, that you don't have to follow the same rules as everyone else?"

"Can it, Martin." Bellamy drawled lazily as he walked towards them. "It's not your place to reprimand anyone. And trust me, she doesn't take criticism well." He took his time walking over, and when he reached them he frowned down at the slightly shorter guy. "And don't call her _sweetheart._"

Martin looked taken aback by Bellamy's words, but he immediately fell silent and nodded his head, waiting for Bellamy's next order. Melody and Miller exchanged an almost surprised look before they, too, turned their attention towards Bellamy. He was striding forward and looking at the grounder -who had been watching them all with interest- once more.

"Still have no answers for me?"

No reply.

"Have it your way, then."

Bellamy raised his knife, the sharpened edge glittering dangerously when the light hit it once more. Melody sucked her breath in sharply, watching as Bellamy stepped closer and closer to the grounder. She saw the imprisoned male shrink back slightly, away from the blade. Although his face showed no sign of emotion, Melody could see the worry in his eyes. She had to do something now, before it was too late.

Melody threw herself forward, lashing out in an attempt to get the knife away from both Bellamy and the grounder. She barely even felt the blade as it sliced through her skin, deep enough to draw blood, but not deep enough to leave any lasting damage. She collided with Bellamy, sending them both sprawling to the ground. The knife flew out of his hand and skidded across the floor, landing a few feet away from the both of them.

When she heard the knife fall away, Melody rolled off of Bellamy and onto the floor, finally registering the burning sensation that was quickly creeping up her injured arm. She could hear him shouting at her, but the words didn't reach her ears. She was too preoccupied by the gash in her arm, just the width of Bellamy's blade. Blood was pouring out of the wound. Had she really just gotten herself stabbed?

Melody was stunned by her actions and she looked down at her bloody arm with a hint of satisfaction and pride. She had accomplished her goal. She had stopped Bellamy from harming the grounder, even if it would only be for a few minutes. Who knew she had it in her? But man…being stabbed hurt like a bitch. Melody could sympathize with both Finn and Jasper now.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Bellamy shouted as he hastily wrapped a piece of cloth around her arm.

"Stop yelling at me, damn it. I'm bleeding out!" Melody shouted.

The horrified look on Bellamy's face was priceless. Melody probably shouldn't have found it funny, but she did. Bellamy's usually tan face had gone as white as a sheet. Melody would have been content to revel in his worry all day, but the look of guilt on his face that followed directly after wiped the smirk off of hers.

"Why would you get in front of my knife?"

"What's the matter, Bellamy? You wouldn't be freaking out if _he_ was the one bleeding." Accused Melody, jerking her head in the direction of the grounder, who was now watching them, along with everyone else in the room.

"But he's not, Melody. _You _are." Bellamy looked at her, obviously surprised -and a bit awed- by her recklessness.

By now, he should have known to expect anything where Melody was involved.

"Yeah, well…I'll survive." Melody easily pushed herself into a sitting position. Her arm burned as if someone were holding a flame to it. The pain wasn't great enough for there to have been any internal damage done, so that was a plus.

"You just got stabbed." Bellamy said slowly, watching as Melody eased herself onto her feet.

"And?"

"And you're just going to go about your business as usual?"

"I don't have time to screw around." Melody frowned down at Bellamy and offered her hand to help him up.

He took it, rising slowly as if in a daze. Once Bellamy was on his feet, Melody crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him seriously. She had to play her next few cards right. Maybe if she did, there would be hope for the grounder yet.

"Apparently I have to be on my deathbed for you to listen to me." Melody muttered, looking up at Bellamy with a frown. Louder, she said, "He's someone's me. He might be a son, a brother, a husband, a father…And you're prepared to do _this_ to him?" She asked, gesturing to the bandage on her arm, which was wrapped tightly around the skin just beneath her shoulder.

"Melody…"

Bellamy looked, for the first time, torn. He looked as if he didn't know how to continue. As if Melody had _finally_ gotten through to him. The unsure look on his face lasted for all of thirty seconds, before it was wiped away by the sound of someone banging on the hatch, which had been locked from their side.

"_Hey! Open the door!" _Clarke shouted, pounding her fist relentless against the other side of the metal door.

After a moment, Miller went and hesitantly unlocked the door. When he pulled it open, Clarke began making her way up the remainder of the ladder. Miller's arms blocked the last few rungs, which infuriated the blonde doctor.

"Get out of my way, Miller." When he failed to move, she began to shout. "Now!" Clarke had returned with a newfound rage that puzzled them all.

Behind her was Octavia, climbing up swiftly while there was no one there to block the entrance. As Octavia approached Melody slowly, Clarke powered ahead to stand in front of the grounder. The look on her face was murderous when she held up the bloody knife, which Melody assumed she had taken out of Finn's chest.

"What's on this?" Demanded Clarke.

"What are you talking about?" Bellamy asked, stepping forward.

"He poisoned the blade!" Clarke announced angrily, not tearing her gaze away from the silent grounder.

Melody and Octavia exchanged a look. The fear in Octavia's eyes made Melody frown, but she didn't offer the girl any comfort. Instead, she took another step forward and watched the grounder, who was as straight-faced as ever. _Poison. _Of course he'd used poison. If the knife hit its target, they were sure to die no matter what. While Clarke had been trying to save Finn's life, the grounder had known that it was no use. Yet he'd just sat there, silent.

"All this time you knew Finn was going to die no matter what we did." Clarke accused, holding the knife up higher for him to see. "What is it?" She shouted angrily, the fear in her voice evident. "Is there an antidote?"

"Clarke, he doesn't understand you." said Octavia.

"The vials." Bellamy said suddenly, turning around to snatch up the tin container that Miller had found earlier. "It's gotta be here."

"You'd have to be stupid to have a poison around this long without an antidote." Muttered Clarke as she took the container and began looking through the vials.

Melody frowned as she watched Clarke, afraid that the girl was wasting her time. They didn't even know what the poison was. None of them had any experience with stuff like this. And even if they _did_, none of them would have known which vial contained the right antidote. Whatever poison they had on Earth was a mystery to all of the delinquents.

"Which one?" Clarke demanded, holding the container out slightly for the grounder to see.

"Answer the question!" Shouted Bellamy, when the grounder remained silent.

"Show us. Please." Begged Octavia, frowning.

They were all wasting their breath. The grounder either didn't understand what was going on, or he didn't want to give them an answer. Melody wasn't sure which answer was more likely at the moment. Not even Octavia's gentle pleading could soften the grounder now.

"Which one? Our friend is dying down there and you can stop that." Clarke urged, sounding as if she was going to burst into tears at any moment.

The grounder just continued to stare at them. Blood still coated his face and one of his eyes was now swollen shut. It seemed as if he didn't want to talk to them. He didn't want them to know anything about him or his poison or the antidote for it. Even someone who spoke a different language should have tried communicating by now.

Clarke looked helplessly to Bellamy, as if waiting for him to do something. Bellamy noticed her glance, and he met Melody's eye over the top of Clarke's head. He seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if remembering Melody's reaction the last time he'd tried to take action against the grounder. After a moment he looked away and bent down to pick up his knife, which still lay on the ground in front of them.

"I'll get him to talk." Bellamy assured Clarke, as he began to stride forward, towards the grounder.

"Bellamy no!" Octavia reached out and grabbed his arm, once more trying to restrain him.

Bellamy spun around, unleashing the full force of his anger on Octavia. "He wants Finn to die! Why can't you see that?" Bellamy was panting as a result of the anger he felt as he looked down at Octavia. After a few moments his gaze swung towards Clarke. "Do you want him to live or not?"

Clarke looked between Bellamy and the grounder, as if debating her answer. Melody was surprised at how quickly Clarke had gone from wanting to keep things clean to wanting the grounder's information at any cost. Then again, Melody knew that if it was the boy _she_ loved laying on a bed, dying, she would have been the one wielding the knife. Everyone was torn between not wanting to spill blood and wanting to keep Finn alive.

Octavia rounded on Clarke then.

"Clarke, you even said it yourself. This is _not_ who we are. He was protecting me!" Octavia said passionately, placing one hand over her heart as she spoke. "He saved my life."

"We are talking about _Finn's_ life!" Bellowed Bellamy, as he tried to get his sister to see the logic behind his desire to get information out of the grounder.

"Do it." Clarke said, her voice void of any hesitation.

Octavia looked at Clarke, taken aback by her words. For a few moments the girl just stared and spluttered, at a loss for words. When she finally seemed to regain her voice, she was moving towards the grounder quickly.

"Just tell us!" Cried Octavia, as a pair of arms wrapped around her from behind.

Miller pulled Octavia back, away from the grounder. Martin also moved forward to help, pulling her a safe distance away from everyone else. Octavia thrashed in their arms, trying to get back to the grounder so she could convince him to help them.

"Let her go." Melody commanded, shoving them away from Octavia.

The two boys obliged, but they moved to block the path towards Bellamy and the grounder. Both Martin and Miller stood before them, arms barred over their chests as they did their best to look like a solid wall. There would be no getting past the two of them, no matter how many threats Melody voiced.

"Octavia, don't watch." Melody urged, wrapping her arms around the girl's shaking form.

The two girls were almost the same height, but Octavia was just an inch or two taller than Melody. Where Melody was skinny and petite, Octavia's body was more muscular and defined. The size difference in the two girls was definitely noticeable and made things a bit difficult, but it didn't stop Melody from enveloping Octavia in her embrace. She tried to shield O from the scene unfolding before them, but it was no use. Neither girl could tear their gaze away from Bellamy.

First, he walked towards the seats that were off to one side of the room. Bellamy cut through one of the seatbelts and draped it over one shoulder. And then, he began to approach the grounder. Bellamy cut through the fabric of the other male's shirt, tearing it off of his body. The lack of clothing revealed a muscular chest, which was decorated with markings that Melody had never seen before. She assumed they were some sort of tribal symbols that he'd had tattooed onto his body.

"You're going to tell us, or you're going to wish you had." Warned Bellamy.

They all watched in expectation as Bellamy moved to stand before the grounder once more. They were all silent as they watched him, not knowing what to expect. It was a few moments before Bellamy pulled the seatbelt off of his shoulder. Everyone seemed to realize what his intent was then. Octavia pushed away from Melody and took a step closer to Bellamy, her eyes wide with fear.

"Bellamy, no." Octavia said, shaking her head quickly as she looked between him and the grounder. "Please."

Bellamy ignored her.

The sound of the seatbelt whirling through the air could be heard, followed by the sound of the metal buckle connecting with the grounder's skin. Melody flinched as she heard the impact, followed by the grounder grunting in pain. Her heart was beating wildly as she watched Bellamy observing the grounder, who remained silent apart from the quiet grunt.

For the first time, she realized how real all of this was. They were standing in the dropship with a _captive _who they had chained to the wall. They had a prisoner. They had a prisoner and they were beating the information out of him. Everyone always talked about how they wished they could get revenge on the grounders. Revenge for Jasper and Roma and Diggs and John and Finn. But _wishing_ and actually _doing_ were two very different things.

It was then that Melody realized they were no longer children of the Ark. No longer children _at all_. They had been sent down here to die, but for some reason they hadn't. They had survived and they had begun to create their own society and they were learning to live with the decisions they made. They were no longer just a group of teenagers that had fallen from the sky.

They were grounders.

They were fierce and they were dangerous and they were willing to do just about anything if it meant ensuring their own survival. Clarke and Bellamy were their leaders now. The Ark was just a distant memory and the Chancellor's law meant absolutely nothing. These thoughts terrified Melody to her core, but they also awakened something inside of her. Something primal and instinctive. And all at once, Melody feared what they had become.

The belt lashed out again, this time making contact with the grounder's head. Melody ground her teeth together in an effort to keep herself from crying out. There was a new cut on his head, which was oozing fresh blood. The worst part about everything was the fact that Melody no longer felt guilty. She still felt that this was wrong, of course, but she no longer felt ashamed of their actions. They were doing what they had to. To _survive._

While Clarke fell to her knees before the grounder and began to show him the antidotes, Melody and Octavia both stepped forward slightly. Melody wasn't quite sure why Octavia felt the need to inch forward, but she was going to stand by her side through all of this. Deep down she knew that this was necessary, but that didn't mean she liked it. It was painful for Melody to watch, so she couldn't even imagine what Octavia was going through.

Clarke had spilled the vials from the container and she laid them all out before the grounder, so that he could clearly see each and every one. "Which one's the antidote?"

"Just tell them." Octavia pleaded, obviously not wanting to see the grounder go through any more pain.

They all looked between the grounder and Octavia. For a moment Melody thought he might actually listen to her. There seemed to be some unspoken connection between the two of them that no one else really understood. Time seemed to pass slowly as they all waited for some signal as to which antidote was the right one. But then, the grounder stood straighter and re-adjusted himself before tensing, waiting for the new blow of Bellamy's make-shift whip. It was obvious that he would take whatever Bellamy dished out before he would consider helping them.

Bellamy moved forward and put a gentle hand on Clarke's shoulder. She sighed softly before standing up and walking quickly away from him. Clarke returned to the spot she'd been standing at before and took a deep breath before looking up and watching Bellamy once more. Octavia let out a helpless sort of sound and Melody moved closer to wrap her arm around the girl's shoulders.

Once more the belt cut through the air and the buckle end of it connected with the grounder's skin. He grunted again and pulled back slightly, his head lowering. Before he could recover, the buckle was connecting with his chest one more, and he was staggering back again. Welts were springing up wherever the metal impacted his skin.

The only sound that filled the air was ragged breathing and grunting. Bellamy grunted each time he swung the belt, and the grounder grunted each time it made contact. Melody held Octavia close and they both watched in horror, wishing that they could figure out some solution where everyone got what they wanted. But it was far too late for that now.

Finn was important to Clarke, and Clarke was important to Bellamy. Although he and Clarke butted heads more often than not, he cared about her as both a co-leader and a friend. If Melody knew one thing about Bellamy, it was that he too had a desire to protect those he cared about at all costs. That was something she could understand, even though Octavia could not. You did crazy things for the people you cared about.

Melody did still care for Finn, but it wasn't the same kind of caring that she felt for her other friends. Finn had Raven and Clarke to worry over him now. Melody found she didn't _have to _worry about Finn, which let her be a bit more thoughtful about the whole situation. She could distance herself and try not to be biased. But she knew that if it had been Octavia or Bellamy with the poison running through their body, Melody would have been the first person to suggest beating answers out of the grounder. And if it had been Jasper or Monty, she doubted they'd have been able to keep her from killing the grounder.

Yes, if it had been _personal_, she might have felt different about torturing the grounder for answers.

Once more the sound of the belt cutting through the air sounded. Melody stiffened and forced herself not to flinch when the buckle bounced off of the grounder's skin. When Bellamy pulled away, he was panting with exertion. The grounder was rocking back and forth slightly as his knees trembled. Melody wasn't sure how long this had been going on now. She'd been too lost in her thoughts to count the number of blows, but she guessed it would range between ten and twenty.

"Enough!" Octavia finally cried.

"_Clarke! He's getting worse._" Raven's voice came from somewhere down below.

"We're running out of time." Clarke fell to the ground in front of the grounder once more. She re-arranged the vials again and pointed to them desperately. "Which one? Which one is it?" She asked desperately, her voice cracking. "If you tell us, they'll stop."

The grounder remained defiant as always. He shifted slightly and then stood up straight once more, staring down at them. His mouth was set in a grim line and he showed no signs of cooperation. Melody had to admit he was handling the whole situation with a lot of bravery…and also stupidity. He could end it all with just one glance in the direction of the right vial.

"Please tell us which is the antidote and they'll stop this." Clarke continued to beg, but to no avail.

Bellamy threw the belt on the ground angrily, and moved to pick up his knife once more. He looked at them all, and then the grounder. "If that doesn't work, maybe this will."

Melody's hand drifted up to brush against the fabric wrapped around the opposite arm. She remembered the bite of the blade all too well. Although it had stopped burning, the wound was still tender and sore and it stung ever so slightly. Melody bit down gently on her bottom lip as she thought of the pain the grounder would soon be in.

If only he would tell them where the antidote was.

"Clarke, you don't have to be here for this." Bellamy assured her, noticing the effect it was having on her.

"I'm not leaving until I get that antidote." Clarke's voice was final.

"Melody." Bellamy turned his gaze towards her with a frown. He didn't say anything else, but he didn't need to. Melody could hear the question without him having to speak it.

"Bellamy." Melody said with a frown, shaking her head slightly. She hadn't wanted it to come to this. But now that it had, she wasn't going to chicken out. "I can handle it."

Bellamy looked grim, but he nodded. Melody inched closer to Octavia, who looked horrified at the thought of what Bellamy might do. Melody was much better at keeping Octavia contained than the rest of them. All they wanted to do was get her out of the way, whereas Melody wanted to help her through everything. None of this had been easy, but Melody had been there every step of the way. She was willing to shoulder Octavia's pain. She was eager to catch her tears. Melody didn't have much experience with being someone's best friend, but she figured that this was the sort of thing she was supposed to do.

"Last chance." Bellamy warned the grounder quietly.

The grounder neither said nor did anything. He stared straight ahead, not even looking at Bellamy when he spoke. Bellamy waited a few moments, waiting for him to say anything, but the grounder remained silent.

Melody watched Bellamy bring his hand back, and when he thrust it forward, the grounder let out another soft sound of pain. When Bellamy let go of the handle, the weapon stayed in place. The knife had gone clean through the grounder's hand. Although he made no further sound, the grounder's hand trembled uncontrollably, and blood dripped down onto the floor.

It took everything she had to force herself not to gag. Beside Melody, Octavia stiffened. Both girls watched in horror as blood continued to trickle slowly down to land in a gathering puddle on the floor. Melody's hand found Octavia's, and she gave the girl a gentle squeeze. Melody wasn't sure who needed who's strength at the moment.

"_What's taking so long_?" Raven's voice grew loud, and it was only moments before she was climbing through the doorway. Her eyes caught Clarke's and she rushed forward. "He stopped breathing."

"What!?" Clarke went to move, but Raven pushed her back gently.

"He started again, but next time, he might not."

"He won't tell us anything!" Said Clarke. She looked and sounded as exasperated as the rest of them felt. Everyone just wanted for this to be over. They'd had their little taste of torture, and it was a truly sickening thing.

Raven looked around for a few moments. Her eye caught something across the room and she hurried to it, muttering. "Oh yeah?" Raven bent down beside a bunch of wires and pulled, yanking them out of the wall. Sparks formed and fell around her as she picked up the wires.

"What are you doing?" Asked Bellamy.

"Showing him something new." Raven rubbed the ends of the wire together until sparks began to fly.

Raven began to approach the grounder, still rubbing the ends of the wires together. The male made frantic noises as he attempted to back away from the girl. If Melody had to guess, she would say that he had never seen electricity before. She didn't blame him for being afraid of the unknown. Electricity was tricky and no one quite knew how it worked. They knew how to harness it, sure, but that was about it. Even they were not immune to electricity. As helpful as it was, it was also extremely dangerous. If you didn't know what you were doing, you were likely to get a nasty shock.

They all watched as Raven brought the wires closer to the grounder. She placed the bare ends on his chest, and suddenly his body began to shudder uncontrollably. The grounder was shouting now, no longer able to brush of the pain as he pulled violently on his bindings.

Beside Melody, Octavia was biting down on her lower lip, hard. Seeing the grounder in pain was causing Octavia pain, and Melody wanted nothing more than to go up and take the wires from Raven. But she couldn't. If she did, Finn would die and they would have accomplished nothing today. So, Melody watched with a solemn expression on her face and remained silent.

"Which one is it?" Raven demanded, watching as the grounder continued to shake, even after the electricity had been taken away. "Come on!" Shouted Raven, looking frantic as she brought the wires back to his chest.

The lights began to flicker as all of the power was drawn into those two wires. The grounder was still shaking and panting heavily as the electricity spread throughout his body. Raven looked nearly hysterical when she withdrew the wires for the second time. Still, the grounder didn't say anything. He just continued to pant and whimper quietly as he electricity took its toll.

"He's all I have!" Raven was sobbing now as she shouted at the grounder.

Melody was so preoccupied with the scene in front of her that she didn't see Octavia dive for the grounder's knife, which lay on the floor next to them. By the time Melody realized that Octavia had the knife, it was far too late for her to do anything about it.

"No more!" Octavia shouted, glaring at no one in particular.

"He's letting Finn _die._" Sobbed Raven angrily, as she glowered at Octavia.

Tears glistened in Octavia's eyes as she brought the knife down to her arm. They all watched in horror as she placed the tip of the blade in the middle of her inner arm, and began to cut downwards. Crimson liquid followed the knife in a neat trail that stretched four or five inches down her arm.

"Octavia, no!" Bellamy called out, but it was too late.

The cut wasn't very deep, but it was deep enough. The poison would have already been entering her bloodstream by now. If they didn't get the antidote, Octavia and Finn would both die.

"He won't let _me_ die." Octavia insisted quietly.

Melody may have been the only one to realize that Octavia's actions had been ingenious. If the grounder had wanted Octavia dead, she would have been dead a long time ago. For some reason, he didn't want her hurt. He wanted to protect her. There was some sort of strange bond between the two of them that not even Melody fully understood. But she knew enough about it to be confident that the grounder would not let Octavia die.

Octavia pushed forward, brushing passed Bellamy, who reached out and tried to stop her. Dropping to her knees in front of the grounder, Octavia began to arrange the vials. The grounder looked down at Octavia with a pained look on his face. She pointed to a vial and questioned him, but he continued to look at her sadly. It took a few more prodding words before the grounder jerked his head towards one of the vials. When Octavia picked it up and held it for his inspection, he nodded.

Octavia held the vial out to Clarke, who muttered a soft thank you. She and Raven ran for the ladder in a hurry to get back to Finn. Octavia began to pick up the grounder's torn shirt from the ground. Melody bent down to help her, offering the other girl a reassuring smile before she began to pick up the small vials. Octavia flashed her a grateful smile and slid the container towards Melody.

Bellamy reached down and touched Octavia's shoulder gently, but she jerked away from him as if his touch had burned her. Eyes dark with anger, she scowled up at Bellamy. "Don't touch me." She snapped at him as she moved closer to Melody, who had now placed all of the vials back in their container.

Octavia's gaze met the grounder's once more, and something unspoken passed between the two of them. It brought a smile to Melody's face for some unknown reason. There was just something so special about being able to communicate with a single look. It must have been wonderful know a person so well that you didn't even have to say a word to know what they were thinking. Just one little look and you could convey a thousand unspoken words.

_I wonder what it feels like_, thought Melody, a bit bitterly. _To know someone better than they know themselves. To communicate with just your eyes. _

She looked up suddenly, not even knowing what made her do so. Melody wasn't surprised to find that Bellamy was already looking at her. His dark eyes held a mixture of emotions. Sadness, guilt, and disappointment. He was hurt by Octavia's rejection, but he understood it. When their eyes met, Melody seemed to know the words that Bellamy didn't say aloud; _what do I do now? _

A smile found its way onto Melody's face.

_Oh, that's right_, she thought happily, as she climbed to her feet and dusted herself off. _I already know what it feels like. _

With that thought in mind, she crossed the room to console Bellamy.


	17. Chapter 17

Okay, so I don't know if any of you readers have ever heard of this website called Melty. It is a French website that has spoilers and articles about many different movies, books, and TV shows. One of our own, **chocolamalo**, sent me a link to the website today. I'd never heard of it before, but I was delighted to find that they mentioned "Coming Home" in an article about the 100 fanfictions! It's just a brief mentioning of the fanfic, but it's still there. _"Entitled 'Coming Home," a fanfiction by .Obessions. Melody tells us the story, sent to Earth after murdering a man on the Ark." _How crazy is that!? Thank you to everyone who reads/favorites/follows/reviews! 3

**Chapter Seventeen **

Raven Reyes was probably the most gifted person Melody had ever met.

With Finn in the clear, their young mechanic threw herself into overdrive and began planning more efficient ways to communicate with the Ark. She was constantly throwing around big words that nobody seemed to understand. Even Monty, their little techie miracle worker, had trouble following Raven's train of thought. Nevertheless, he was delighted to able to have an intelligent conversation with someone who spoke geek.

Both of them spent hours and hours in the dropship over the next few days, trying to hatch up some plan to get in touch with the Ark. They worked day and night, hardly sleeping and only eating when they were forced to. Whenever someone voiced their concerns about the pair working too hard, either Monty or Raven would claim they were 'on the verge of a breakthrough.' And that would shut everyone up for a minute or two.

More often than not, Melody joined them as well. The three of them passed the time by laughing and talking about nothing of importance. The animosity between Melody and Raven had begun steadily decreasing until, after a few days, it was no longer there at all. As far as Melody was concerned, Raven was no longer an outsider who posed a threat to their little group. Any of Melody's doubts faded away the moment she saw Raven break down over the thought of losing Finn. While she had initially thought of Raven as being the type of person to come in and take control, Melody soon realized that she had been very wrong.

Raven didn't just want to force her way into things; she wanted to belong.

No amount of explanations could help anyone understand exactly what Raven and Monty were trying to do. From what Melody gathered, they were going to try Monty's idea of re-wiring the flat screen monitor in the dropship to make visual contact with the Ark. Then, they were going to fix up the radio and connect its wiring to the wiring in the monitor. The extra headsets from the cargo pod would allow them to hear and talk to whoever was on the other side of the screen. The end goal was to be seen and heard on the Ark's supercomputer.

The process of re-wiring everything was drawn out over several days. Melody kept everyone's spirits high to the best of her abilities. Whenever Raven and Monty began to get frustrated, Melody reminded them of how successful they'd been when repairing the waterlogged radio. If she couldn't do anything else, she could at least boost the morale. And by the fifth or sixth time she'd reassured them that they could do it, things started to look up.

Piece by piece it all came together. The revival of the monitor was their first success. After spending more than a full day fiddling with its components, Monty managed to get the screen to turn on. The screen was bright blue and it read 'NO SIGNAL,' but it was still functioning and that was all they'd hoped for. When they'd hooked it up to the radio, the screen had gone from bright blue to a dark grey, as if only waiting for someone on the other side to make a connection. The final step was contacting the Ark and having them set up their own systems accordingly. The engineers on the Ark had worked to boost their signal connect their systems. For a long time they held their breath and waited, not knowing if their make-shift mess of wires and technology was even going to be functional. But it was.

Three long days after they'd begun working, the screen had jumped to life. On the screen was Chancellor Jaha and Doctor Abby Griffin, who both looked surprised and pleased to see a handful of teenage faces staring back at them. After initial shouts of surprise and lots of hugging, the three of them had called Clarke and Bellamy into the room. After a few short words between the leaders of the Ark and the leaders of the 100, people began to reserve slots.

Everyone was going to get the chance to talk with their families.

Melody paced outside of the tent, anxiously awaiting the moment when she would see her mother.

For the last two days, people had been going in and out of what was now deemed the communications tent in order to speak with their parents. Each family was permitted between fifteen and thirty minutes in front of the screen. When it came to the older campers, they usually didn't hang around much longer than necessary. There was bad blood between a lot of the delinquents and their parents. And if they were on good terms with their families, that made things even more painful. No one wanted to stick around long enough to get too attached when they knew that their time on Earth could be limited.

The younger campers tended to take more time than that, but no one really bothered them or their parents. At almost eighteen years old, Melody could hardly handle all of the horrors that had been thrown her way. She couldn't even imagine what it was like to be fourteen or fifteen in this crazy world. The younger campers had been so brave, and so they were rewarded by getting a few extra minutes to prolong their tearful goodbyes.

Melody had chosen a time slot after Miles, a particularly cheerful young boy, on purpose. She knew that he would want to spend as much time talking to his parents as possible, as did the rest of the young campers. But she also knew that he took everything in stride. It seemed that the boy's positive demeanor could never falter. So Melody knew that when he walked out of the tent, he would be smiling, not crying. And maybe that would motivate her to do the same.

Melody was more anxious than anything else. It had been four years since she'd last seen her mother since prisoners in solitary weren't allowed visitation. Four long, lonely years. The last time Melody had seen her mother, she'd only been a child. How many nights had she lain awake in her cell, dreaming about this day? And now, it was finally here. It just seemed so tragic that the two of them were going to be reunited when she was just months from adulthood.

What would it be like to hear her mother's voice again? Melody had spent more nights than she could remember trying to re-create that soft, soothing tone in her mind. However, she had never gotten it quite right. The memories of her mother's voice just could not compare to the real thing. And her smile…Melody recalled her mother's warm, welcoming smile as if she'd just seen it yesterday. A smile that she thought she would never live to see again. A smile that would surely be Melody's undoing.

But what if she didn't smile? What if she frowned, or scowled, or glared? What if she was angry over what had happened to Jason? What if she refused to even see Melody at all? What if she was _disappointed? _What if, what if, what if…

Melody didn't know if she could handle having disappointed her mother, the only person in the world who had always been there for her. She could take anger and she could take resentment…but disappointment? Nothing would hurt her more. Melody would take getting punched in the face a hundred times. She would take the betrayed look in Clarke's eyes a thousand. And she would take getting stabbed a _million_ times if it meant she didn't have to see the look of disappointment on her mother's face.

It would truly be the undoing of Melody Pond.

"Melody?"

She whipped around and saw Miles exiting the tent. At only fifteen years old, he towered over Melody by four or five inches. His hair was a sandy blonde color and his eyes one of those bright, almost transparent blues.. As he drew closer, Melody saw the unmistakable glistening of the tears that he had hastily tried to wipe away. Miles, the optimist, had been crying. The boy who could handle anything life threw at them. His unbreakable spirit had been Melody's only real motivation to hold herself together.

_Damn it, Miles_, thought Melody angrily. _Why'd you have to cry? _

"Your mother would like to speak to you."

With the moment of truth finally upon her, Melody nodded and began to walk towards the tent. Each step felt heavier than the next, as if she were weighed down by lead. _Don't be nervous, don't be nervous, don't be nervous, _she chanted over and over again. _This is __**mom.**_But the words provided no comfort for Melody, who was letting irrational fears get the best of her.

When she passed Miles, Melody reached out and gently touched his arm. The young boy looked down at Melody with a sad smile. His hand reached over and brushed against hers for a moment before he pulled away and continued walking. No amount of reassuring smiles or comforting caresses would be able to soothe their troubled minds tonight.

Now standing in front of the tent, Melody drew in a deep breath. Her nerves were frazzled and her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She was torn between trying to be the person that her mother remembered -the weak, delicate flower who had minded the rules, had refused to rock the boat, and who shied away from the spotlight- and the person that she truly was; a strong, passionate woman who played by her _own_ rules, who said what she felt without abandon, and who threw herself into the heart of every oncoming storm.

Melody desperately wanted to fall back into old patterns, but found that she couldn't. When she tried to channel her younger and more docile self, nothing happened. Melody the child and Melody the grounder were two very different people. The part of Melody that had lived on the Ark died long before she'd even made it to Earth. She couldn't get in touch with that side of her, because there was nothing left to get in touch with.

_Don't worry. She'll like you, _said a small voice in the back of her head. _And if she doesn't, you've got nearly a hundred people who do._

That little reminder was all it took for Melody to regain her confidence. There was a camp full of people that accepted and openly embraced her, flaws and all. They didn't care that she wasn't perfect; they just cared about _her. _And in return, Melody had a special place in her heart for each and every camper. Slowly, she was beginning to realize what the word family meant. You didn't need blood to be family.Over the last few months, the 100 had been put through hell. Yet they remained united. When they experienced loss, they experienced it _together._ When they triumphed, they triumphed _together._ They stood together, they fought together, and they fell together.

It may not have seemed like much, but it was good enough for Melody. And it made her realize that if Grace Pond couldn't accept her for the slightly rough-edged person that she'd become, then maybe the older woman should take a page from the delinquents. Because they were the best family that Melody had ever known.

With her head held high, Melody finally took the finally plunge and ducked into the tent.

The first thing she saw was the oversized monitor, which was sitting upon a large, wooden table that took up most of the tent's floor space. Like every other table in camp, this one was a bit uneven and in dire need of a good sanding. On one side of the table were two chairs, both constructed out of seats from the dropship. An unlit lantern, which was little more than a bit of animal fat in a glass jar, rested on one side of the table.

In the middle of the table was the big screen that had once been mounted in the dropship in order to deliver the chancellor's last message. Now, it was re-wired as a two-way communication system. The screen was facing away from Melody when she walked in. For a few moments there was just silence as she half-heartedly debated just slipping back out of the tent, unnoticed. But then, she heard the breathing.

It was a soft and hardly noticeable sound, but it didn't surpass Melody's fine-tuned hearing. It was almost too easy to imagine her mother sitting on the other side of that screen, waiting for her. And suddenly Melody felt extremely guilty as she imagined the hurt look on her mother's face if she'd been stood up.

_It's now or never. _

Melody crossed the tent and sat down at the table. Her eyes flickered towards the headset in front of her. Picking it up, Melody took a few moments to fit the set to the shape of her head. And then she took her time adjusting the microphone accordingly. When there was finally nothing left to do, Melody looked up and her eyes locked onto the screen before her.

"Mom?"

The woman staring back at Melody was, without a doubt, different from the woman in her memories. The Grace Pond she knew had been small and frail and afraid of every little thing. You would find her cowering in a corner before you'd find her standing up for herself. Melody had always been the strong one, despite Grace's attempts to mold her into some skittish, fragile shell of a girl. She _had _to be the strong one. But now…there was something very different about the way Grace Pond carried herself. The way she sat straight and determined and allowed herself to make eye contact. The way she leaned towards the screen slightly and smiled, not hesitantly anymore, but with all the confidence in the world. Rather than weak and defenseless as she'd always been described, Melody's mother seemed almost…normal.

Grace sat straight and watched Melody with a curious look on her face, as if she were having the same exact thoughts.

"Melody." Grace greeted softly, her face slowly breaking out in a wide smile. "It's you. It's _really _you. I mean, they told me you went to Earth, but…I never thought I would see you again." She admitted in a whisper, staring at Melody with a look of wonder and awe on her face.

"It's really me." Agreed Melody with a slight nod as she stared back at this foreign woman. "Disappointed?" The words were accompanied by a small laugh, but there was an underlying seriousness in her voice.

"Of course not." Her mother said fiercely, shaking her head, as if disappointment was the furthest thing from what she was feeling. "I could never be disappointed in you, Melody." The look of adoration on her mother's face paired with the pure, unadulterated pride in her voice caused Melody to completely loose her composure.

"Not even after I killed him?" She asked doubtfully, not bothering to brush away the tears that were quickly forming. Guilt was riding her hard as she looked at her mother who stared back with only love in those dark brown eyes. "You weren't even the tiniest bit disappointed in me for killing Jason?"

All at once, Grace's demeanor changed. Her gaze darkened and her brow furrowed, her smile instantly turning into a grimace. Her lips were pursed in the stern way of a woman who was rearing up for a lecture. Grace had never been one to lecture her daughter -especially considering how little tolerance her daughter had for being scolded- but time changed things.

Melody bristled and waited for her mother to say whatever it was she needed to say. After all, she'd been expecting this to happen as soon as she sat down. Reaching up, she brushed away the fallen tears and silently cursed herself for letting her emotions get the better of her.

"Melody Ann Pond, I don't _ever_ want you to regret what you did to him." Grace said, so malevolently that it caused Melody's eyes to widen in surprise. "You did what you had to do. Jason Evans was not the man everyone thought he was. And if I had known that he…that he _defiled_ you," Grace's face was red with anger by his point, and her voice had quieted to a deadly hiss. Melody had never seen this side of her mother before, and it both unnerved and pleased her. "I wouldn't have been so merciless. He was a sick, twisted man and he got exactly what was coming to him."

For a few moments Melody just stared at her mother in shock. Never once had she heard Grace talk in such a manner. This couldn't be her quiet, timid mother. The woman Melody had known would have sooner cut out her own tongue than speak ill about the man she'd once loved. Perhaps she'd never voiced her opinion not out of loyalty, but out of fear. And now, with no one to stop her, Grace Pond's true colors were showing.

Melody couldn't have been more astounded, nor could she had been more proud of her mother.

"No one deserves to die, Mom." Melody finally said in a ragged voice that was choked with emotion.

"You didn't deserve what he did to you. I didn't deserve what he did to me. We don't _deserve _a lot of things, Melody, but that doesn't mean we can stop them from happening." Argued Grace. "If he could do something so horrid to you, who's to say he couldn't do it again? Maybe he didn't deserve _death,_ but Karma's a bitch and there's no way to avoid her."

"Mom…"

"We're not arguing about this, Melody." Said Grace firmly. "Stop blaming yourself for his death. He's not worth the guilt you're putting yourself through."

"But-"

"No buts. You need to move on, baby." A soothing edge crept into Grace's voice. "God knows I have."

And so, she was forgiven.

Knowing that her mother didn't blame her for Jason's death seemed to lift an invisible weight off of Melody's chest. The guilt she felt didn't disappear, but it did lessen. Maybe the reason Melody had felt so bad about what she'd done was because of Grace. In the blink of an eye, Grace had lost both her daughter and her boyfriend. As if she hadn't suffered enough already…But her losses didn't seem to destroy Grace Pond. In fact, they seemed to make her stronger.

"When did you become such a hard-ass?" Melody stared at her mother incredulously. The change in Grace was unbelievable. She'd never been the type of woman to speak her mind, and so passionately at that.

"When I didn't have you to be strong for me." Grace said softly, the small smile spreading across her face once more.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I wish I could've-"

"No, Melody. It was a good thing." Assured Grace. "I never acted like a true mother to you and for that, _I'm _sorry. I wanted to make you into someone just like me; a quiet, timid, fragile woman who did not have a mind of her own. I was just so afraid for you. You've always had that defiant glint in your eye. And on the Ark, defiance is a death sentence."

"Don't be sorry. You were just trying to keep me safe. After what happened to dad…" Melody trailed off and shook her head, not able to put her thoughts into words. "Defiance may be a death sentence, but if following the rules without question is what it takes to _live, _then I'd rather be dead."

"Melody, don't say things like that." Pleaded Grace with a frown. "I'd rather you be alive and miserable than dead."

"Mom, you don't understand what it's like down here. _This _is living. What we did on the Ark…that was just surviving." Melody insisted, her voice growing louder and more animated with each word.

"Maybe, but on the Ark you were _safe._ I've heard about the horrible things that plague Earth. Acidic Fog, Savages, Mutated Animals…"

"No, on the Ark I was _contained._ I was bound in chains by their ridiculous rules and regulations. Things have been set in stone for a century. And if there was a threat of change, they silenced the perpetrator. Permanently."

"And on Earth?" Grace asked, partly to humor her daughter and partly because her curiosity was getting the best of her.

"Down here things are different." Insisted Melody, who was encouraged by her mother's interest in how they lived life on the ground. "I speak, and I'm heard. Clarke and Bellamy take our thoughts and opinions into consideration. They rule _for_ the people."

"Clarke _Griffin_? As in Doctor Abby Griffin's daughter?"

"Yes." Confirmed Melody, with a nod. "Clarke and Bellamy are our leaders. They're the ones that make the rules down here. Clarke's also our only doctor, so she runs the infirmary, too."

"And Bellamy _Blake_?" Grace's brow furrowed once more. "The boy from Mecha?"

"You know him?" Asked Melody, surprised. Sure, they Ponds and the Blakes were both families from Mecha, but to Melody's knowledge their paths had never crossed.

"I've never met him, no, but I've heard things about him." Said Grace with a scowl.

"All good things, I gather, considering the overwhelming amount of disgust in your voice." Melody was frowning at her mother now, suddenly feeling very defensive. There was something about the way she said his name -Bellamy _Blake_\- with so much revulsion in her voice that angered Melody.

"Melody, I don't want you getting mixed up with someone like Bellamy Blake." Grace said shortly, giving Melody a keen look. "You're a good girl. And that boy is trouble."

Melody stared at her mother, slack-jawed.

"In fact, I don't even want you anywhere _near_ him." Continued Grace, who was sounding bossier by the minute. "That whole family is nothing but trouble. Aurora was a fool for what she did, keeping that unregistered baby. As if the Ark didn't have enough problems with overpopulation." At this, Grace made a clucking noise that sounded something like _tsk-tsk _and shook her head in disapproval. "And her son is an even bigger fool for-"

"Stop it!" Shouted Melody, slamming her fist down on the table so hard that pain shot up through her entire arm. "Don't you dare say such horrible things!"

Grace Pond jumped slightly at the sudden outburst of anger. It wasn't like Melody to speak in such a manner. At least now when she was addressing her own mother. With a small frown, Grace stared at her daughter with a look that was a mixture of surprise and annoyance on her face.

"Melody, you don't understand-" Grace began to speak in a soft, pleading tone, before she was cut off once again.

"I do understand!" Melody was still shouting, unwilling to back down. "I understand that the Ark has brainwashed you, Mom."

"Brainwashed me?" Grace gasped, obviously offended. "Melody Ann, I don't think you know who you're talking to. I am your _mother_ and you will-"

"I am a human being and I will not be silenced because it is convenient for you."

Grace stared at Melody, looking bewildered.

"Your precious Chancellor sent us down here to die. Or did you forget that part?" Melody's gaze narrowed as she looked at her mother, who had the decency to look ashamed.

"Melody, the oxygen supply…" Grace protested weakly.

"Don't defend the man who sentenced me and 99 _children_ to death." Snapped Melody, who was now feeling disgusted as well. "If it wasn't for Bellamy, we probably would be dead right now. He forced us to come together in order to survive. He is the only reason I'm alive right now. Not that my life means anything to you, of course. I mean, me dying was alright if the rest of you got your precious oxygen, right?"

"Melody, I didn't mean it like that." Grace insisted. "I just meant that the Chancellor was doing what he thought he had to."

"And whatever you've heard about Bellamy, he probably did it because he _had_ to. You don't know him, Mom. And you have no right to judge him."

"He shot the Chancellor!" Exclaimed Grace with a helpless sound as she tried to make Melody see her side of things. "You might think you know him, Melody, but you don't. He's a _murderer._"

"The Chancellor's dead?" Asked Melody softly, stunned by her mother's words.

"No, they were able to extract the bullet and save his life." Said Grace with a small frown. "But he could have died, Melody. Bellamy meant to kill him. In cold blood…"

"Is that so different from what I did, Mom?" Demanded Melody. "I killed Jason in cold blood. I'm a murderer, too."

"No, Melody…you did what you had to." Grace sounded unsure once again.

"So did Bellamy!" Melody was too busy defending Bellamy to feel angry about this huge piece of information that he'd been keeping from her.

"What did the Chancellor do to deserve an assassination attempt?"

"He's killed _hundreds of people_!" Shouted Melody, who was disgusted by her mother's loyalty to Jaha. "He killed my father, _your_ husband. He killed Bellamy's mother and locked up his sister. Octavia was coming to Earth, and Bellamy wasn't going to let her go alone. He did what needed to be done in order to protect his family. And contrary to what you believe, family comes before anything else.""

"You have no right to lecture me on the meaning of family, Melody!" Grace was leaning forward now, practically shouting at her daughter. "I gave up _everything_ for you. My _pride,_ my _morals_, my _self-respect…_I didn't stay with Jason because _I_ needed him. I stayed with him because _you_ did."

"I didn't know I was such a burden." Spat Melody, as angry tears began to fill her eyes.

"That's not what I meant! I stayed with him because it was best for my family. If anyone knows how to put their own needs behind those of others, it's me. So don't tell me I don't know that family comes first. You've always come first Melody, and you always will."

"I'm sorry." Said Melody, although she wasn't one hundred percent sure she actually meant it. "I don't want to fight with you, Mom. Not when I've waited so long to talk to you again."

"No, _I'm _sorry. You're the most important person in my life, Melody. And if you say Bellamy Blake is okay…I'll try not to hate him."

"Thanks, Mom." Melody couldn't help but to grin in response to the impish smile on her mother's face. "He's important to me; they all are. I know you see a bunch of criminals, but they're so much more than that."

"Speaking of criminals," Said Grace with a hesitant smile, as she knew that rocking the boat would lead to more trouble, "Have you made any friends?"

Melody laughed at the completely mundane question. "This isn't summer camp, Mom."

"You know what I mean!" Grace scoffed lightly. "I feel better knowing that you're not alone down there."

"I'm not alone. I'm _never_ alone." Melody reassured her with a half-hearted smile. "There's ninety-two of us, you know. For criminals, they're not a bad bunch."

"Melody. Do you have _friends_?" Repeated Grace with a pointed look. It was obvious that Melody was avoiding the question, but that wasn't surprising. The Ponds weren't the type of people who talked about their feelings.

"Geez, Mom. Yes, I _do_ have friends. Clarke, Bellamy, Jasper, Monty, Octavia, Finn…"

"And they're taking good care of you?"

"Yeah. Something like that." Melody smirked slightly.

_If only you knew, Mom…_

"Good. I like knowing you're taken care of. You'll have to tell me-"

They were interrupted by the sound of someone rapping against the tent.

Melody frowned and crossed the distance of the tent, slightly annoyed at being interrupted. She bent down and unzipped the door hastily. A head full of black hair poked through the open doorway, and a warm smile was directed at Melody.

"Hey, Mel." Said Monty, as he moved further into the tent. "How was your talk with your mom?"

"Uh…It's not over yet." Melody said slowly, watching Monty with a small smile. "Has it been thirty minutes already?"

"Oh, sorry. I can totally wait until you're finished." Monty said quickly as he began to move for the door.

"No, Monty, wait." Melody reached out and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop. "It's your turn. Let me just say goodbye, alright?"

Melody moved back towards the monitor and quickly slipped on the headset. Her mother was frowning, and it was obvious that she'd heard the two of them talking. Melody could understand her reluctance to let go…It was hard to be torn away from your loved ones once, let alone twice.

"Monty's turn." Explained Melody with a small smile. "I'm supposed to be helping Octavia, anyways…"

"Alright." Grace nodded her head and offered Melody a shaky smile. "I love you, Melody Ann."

"I love you, too, Mom." Melody said gently.

"May we meet again."

"May we meet again."


	18. Chapter 18

**Hi there! So sorry that this update is late and short and kind of choppy. There's just so much emotion in this part of the story, and I couldn't figure out how to portray it correctly until now. The next chapter will be much longer and hopefully it'll come rather soon!**

**I'd like to take a moment to direct you towards my profile, where you will find a link to our Coming Home**__**playlist. We've been putting it together over the course of the last few weeks, and it has got some great songs on it. Let me know what you think of the playlist, and if you have any suggestions! Also, I didn't think to mention earlier that we also have an account on Instagram called **_my. sweet. obsessions,_** which posts edits for The 100, along with many other fandoms. We've also got one or two edits for Coming Home, if you want to check them out ;) Enjoy! **

**Chapter Eighteen**

"What the hell do you mean he can _talk_?"

"Shh!" Hissed Octavia as she clamped one hand firmly over Melody's mouth, looking around with paranoia etched plainly upon her face. "Could you _be_ any louder, Melody?"

In Melody's defense, she hadn't expected that Octavia would burst into their tent -out of breath and flushed with excitement- and tell her that the grounder spoke perfect English.

_The grounder can understand us, Melody. He can talk. _

"Sorry." Melody whispered, looking up at Octavia with widened eyes. The two of them were quiet for a few moments as they stared at one another. Finally, Octavia withdrew her hand, and Melody immediately pounced.

"Are you serious, O? The grounder can understand us?" Melody asked softly, looking up at Octavia as if half-afraid she hadn't heard the other girl correctly.

"I think so." Octavia nodded her head eagerly, eyes shining with excitement. "I snuck up there and I was cleaning his wounds. I swear to god he said 'thank you', plain as day."

"Holy shit." Breathed Melody. "This changes everything."

"What do you mean?" Asked Octavia with a puzzled frown.

"I mean we can communicate with the grounders!"

"So?"

"So, we can make things right. We can stop all the killing."

"You can't tell anyone, Melody." Octavia said, her voice quiet and grave.

Melody's grin wavered slightly, and then completely fell away when she realized that Octavia was serious. "What do you mean I can't tell anyone?" She asked, her green eyes growing wide.

"I _mean_, if they know that he can speak they'll only torture him for information." Pointed out Octavia. "He's been through enough, Melody."

"_We've _been through enough, Octavia." Melody argued.

"Melody, he _saved my life._ I can't just sit by and watch him get tortured. Not again." Octavia shook her head, her face twisted into a grimace as if she were reliving the night of the grounder's torture.

"I know he saved your life, Octavia." Mel didn't even try to hide the fact that she was growing annoyed with the other girl. "I know you think you owe him, but-"

"I _do_ owe him, Melody." Said Octavia firmly. "Why don't you guys understand what he did? If it wasn't for him, I would be _dead._"

"Yeah, if it wasn't for his people, Roma would be alive. So would Diggs. John."

"We don't know it was him!"

"It doesn't matter _who_ it was!" Melody was shouting now, her hands thrown in the air with exasperation. "His people are the enemy."

"His _people_ are the enemy. We don't know that _he _is." Insisted Octavia.

"He almost killed Finn."

"It was in self-defense!"

"His knife was meant for me."

This silenced Octavia. She looked up at Melody and her hazel eyes were glossy with emotion. It was obvious that Octavia was torn between her loyalty to Melody and her loyalty to the grounder. Melody understood that Octavia felt like she owed the grounder, but it still hurt a little bit that her supposed best friend had trouble choosing between the two of them.

"If we carry on like this, they're going to pick us off one by one until we're all gone. You have the power to try and fix things between our people and his." Urged Melody, her voice gentler now as she tried to reason with Octavia.

"I don't want him hurt anymore."

"I don't want _us_ hurt anymore. If it comes down to it, I'm picking us over him Octavia."

"I thought you were on my side, Mel. I thought you would back me up on this one." Octavia was frowning. "But right now, you sound like my brother."

"I don't agree with torturing him, Octavia. But I'm not going to let anyone else get killed."

"Just keep it a secret for a little while." Pleaded Octavia. "Just until I can figure things out."

"A secret?" Echoed Melody, frowning. "I don't want to lie to our friends, Octavia."

"You won't be lying! You just won't be telling the whole truth."

"I don't know…"

"Only for a little while, Melody. _Please._"

Melody pursed her lips and looked at Octavia for a long moment. She wanted to tell Clarke and Bellamy, naturally. They were the leaders of the group and it was their job to make the big decisions. But Octavia was Melody's best friend…how could she betray her secret?

"Fine." Melody said finally, after a lot of internal debate. "I won't tell them…_yet._"

"Thank you, Melody." Octavia smiled at her, although it seemed a bit forced. "Really, this means a lot."

Melody still felt uneasy about all of this, but she had to let Octavia handle things for now. If anyone had a chance of convincing the grounder of _anything, _it was Octavia. For some reason he seemed to trust her, and in return Octavia trusted him…but that didn't mean Melody had to. As soon as things went downhill, she was going to step up and do what she had to in order to protect her people.

And no one was going to get in her way.

"Don't make me regret this, Octavia."

"Stand with your feet shoulder width apart."

Melody adjusted her stance slightly, looking down as she tried to even herself out a bit. She had no idea what "shoulder width" even meant, really. Didn't she naturally stand at this so-called shoulder width?

"No, shoulder width. Your feet are too close together."

Melody moved slightly, widening her stance.

"_Melody._"

"Bellamy, I didn't ask you to teach me how to shoot just so you could lecture me on where my feet are supposed to be." She snapped finally, reverting to her original stance. Both arms crossed defensively over her chest and she glowered at him, hating his nagging and superior tone.

"Who needs whose help here?" His dark eyes narrowed slightly.

Melody shut her mouth and began working on her stance once more.

It there was one thing Melody hated, it was asking for help. But after she'd seen how much trust Bellamy put in her while they were in grounder territory, Melody knew that she had no option but to learn how to properly use her bow. If she was going to be tasked with protecting her people then she was going to do it the right way. And since Bellamy was the only person in camp with any sort of weapons training, he was the only one who could teach her.

"Shoulder width." He commanded, as he spectated from a few yards away. "It means that your feet should line up with your shoulders. Stand firm, Melody. You need to be centered."

With a frustrated sigh, Melody positioned herself so that she thought she was lined up evenly. When she lifted her head and looked at Bellamy, he gave her a slight nod and Melody felt herself smile over this small triumph.

"Now what?" She asked eagerly, looking to him for new directions.

"Now nock your arrow."

"Nock?"

"You need to fit the notch in the end of the arrow on the bowstring." He explained slowly, making wild hand gestures as he did so. "Just load the bow."

"Well next time just say that."

She drew an arrow from her quiver and fitted it onto the bowstring. Once the arrow was securely in place, Melody lifted the bow and held it out in front of her, making sure to keep the string slack so that they didn't have any "accidents." With a teacher like Bellamy, a girl started to get ideas…

"Lift the bow. Shoulder height."

_Why is everything measured by 'shoulder'? _

"And then?"

Bellamy gave her a pointed, almost scolding look. "And then you shoot."

Melody lifted the bow and held it in front of her, turning slightly as she did so. She drew back the string hesitantly, looking at the tree where Bellamy had marked a big X. That was supposed to be her target.

"Relax, Melody. You've got this." Bellamy assured her, nodding his approval.

Melody took a deep breath and closed one eye, narrowing in on the target. Her fingers flexed around the end of the bow for a moment, as she turned it ever so slightly and tried to perfect her aim. She was suddenly very aware of Bellamy's dark stare watching her every move. The last time she'd practiced, she had been alone. Her mistakes had been for her eyes only. And now that she was being evaluated, Melody was quite nervous.

_You can do it, Mel, _she told herself sternly. _Pretend Bellamy isn't here. Pretend it's just you and your bow and that tree._

With that thought in mind, Melody drew the string even tighter and then released the arrow. She watched as it flew forward and hit the tree at an odd angle. The arrow bounced away from the tree and landed in the grass, completely missing its target altogether.

She was flushing now, embarrassed that Bellamy had seen her screw up so badly. Melody lowered her eyes and nibbled gently on her lower lip as she avoiding seeing Bellamy's reaction. He was smug, no doubt. He probably couldn't wait to point out everything she'd done wrong and rub her nose in it. Bellamy was always looking for some reason to lecture or belittle her. And the two of them weren't exactly on good terms as of late.

Soft footsteps announced Bellamy's quick approach. When she could no longer avoid him, Melody lifted her gaze to meet his. Much to her surprise, Bellamy looked stern and determined as he strode forward, arrow in hand. His face held no traces of amusement. In fact, he looked almost patient.

"That was good." He said gruffly, offering Melody her arrow.

Green eyes narrowing, Melody reached out and cautiously accepted the arrow. She was sensing he wanted to say something else. "But?"

"You weren't holding the bow properly."

"How am I supposed to hold it?" Melody frowned and looked down at the bow in her hands. How many ways were there to hold a bow? It wasn't exactly an easy task to begin with, she couldn't imagine complicating it further.

"Nock the arrow and I'll show you."

Melody loaded the arrow onto the string once more and raised her bow. She held it as she always did, out in front of her and as straight as possible. Her left hand held onto the bow, and her right hand held the string. She turned slightly once more so her hip was pointed towards the target, and then she drew back the string as always.

And when she did, Bellamy was suddenly there.

"Keep your arms straight." He ordered.

One of his hands lifted her left arm slightly, so that the bow was raised higher than it had been. The other hand reached out and pushed on her elbow, locking it into place so that her arm was much straighter than it had been before. Something changed then, and Melody suddenly felt different. She felt more in control than she had been before. She felt like she finally had a firm grasp on the basics of archery.

"And now…just draw the string back." Bellamy's fingers wrapped around her wrist slightly, and he was helping her draw the bowstring back.

"I'm capable of doing this by myself, Bellamy." Melody rolled her eyes and turned her head to give him an impatient look.

"Eyes on the target, Melody."

She huffed and looked ahead once more. She stared at the X carved into the tree for a few moments. Her eyes trailed towards the tip of the arrow, and she moved the bow slightly, suddenly able to see exactly where it needed to be positioned. Once she was ready, Bellamy released her wrist and stepped backwards. Melody took in a deep breath and flexed her fingers once before releasing the arrow.

The arrow seemed to go through the air in slow motion. Maybe it was because she was holding her breath, but Melody suddenly felt anxious as she watched the arrow make its way towards the tree. All of her anxiety faded away, however, when the arrow lodged itself deep within the corner of the giant X. It wasn't centered, but she'd hit the target.

She had actually _hit _the freaking target.

"I did it." A breathless laugh escaped from between her parted lips as Melody stared at the tree in shock. "I actually did it!"

And then she was spinning around and practically tackling Bellamy with a hug. Her arms encircled her neck and she pulled him close, thanking him over and over again. Melody was so proud of herself, and so grateful that he'd helped her with this. Protecting everyone was something she felt so passionate about. And now, with Bellamy's help, she would finally be able to do what she needed to.

Bellamy stared down at Melody in bewilderment, but he grudgingly wrapped his arms around her small body. Hugging wasn't really his thing, but he didn't have the heart to push her away, not when she was so excited about things. Besides, this would probably be the first and last time Melody pond ever hugged him. And if this was going to be the only hug that he got, then he should probably savor it.

Bellamy was right to revel in the moment.

Almost immediately, Melody was pulling away from him. She remembered suddenly that she wasn't supposed to be fraternizing with the enemy. Bellamy wasn't forgiven just because he had showed her how to use the bow. Forgiveness came with time, and Melody wasn't ready to forget about the things that had been said and done in the dropship.

_This isn't who we are, Bellamy. _

_It is now. _

She should still hear the sound of the seatbelt buckle whizzing through the air and connecting with the grounder's flesh. She could still here his grunts of pain, and she could recall Bellamy's relentless attack.

Some things were seared into your brain forever.

"Thank you." She said politely, if not a bit stiffly.

"Any time." Replied Bellamy, who also sounded colder and distant than he had before. His brown eyes met hers for a few moments, and then he tore his gaze away from Melody and looked back towards the tree. His eyes lingered on the arrow for a few moments and then he was slipping back into teacher-mode once more.

"Now do it again."

Melody was proud to say that she had hit the target more often than not. With each success, she gained a little bit of confidence. And when she was confident, she made more progress. When Bellamy offered only his advice, Melody soon accepted the fact that he just wanted to help her. And after that, things went swimmingly.

She returned to camp over an hour after Bellamy had left her alone to practice. Even without him there to guide her, Melody had done a fair job. It wouldn't be long before she could help them with her new skills. She would soon be able to hunt and guard camp and protect them on any outings.

It felt good to be needed.

"Good progress, sweetheart." Praised Bellamy, who was walking towards her as soon as she made it into the main part of camp. "But you'll need to be a lot better if you're going to stand a chance against the grounders. Did you hit the target any after I left?"

"A few times." Melody shrugged and patted her bow fondly before slipping it over her head to carry. "I'm going to practice some more tomorrow."

"You'd better. That bow comes with a lot of responsibility." He warned, frowning slightly. "I gave it to _you _for a reason. Don't make me regret it."

Melody rolled her eyes at his words and then scoffed lightly. "And here I was, thinking you gave this to me out of the goodness of your heart."

With this bow, Bellamy had given her so much more than he realized. It wasn't just a bow, not to Melody. He hadn't just given her some dainty little gift to make up for hurting her feelings. This bow was more than a gift, and it was more than a peace offering.

He had given her a _purpose. _

"Partially." Bellamy shrugged his shoulders easily at her sarcastic comment. "I wanted to show you I was sorry for what I did. I _am _sorry for that." He insisted, piercing her with a serious look as he did his best to convey his regret. "But if I wanted to say sorry, I could have done it a million other ways. I knew you wouldn't let me down. That's why I gave you the bow."

"What do you mean?" Now Melody was frowning, because she was confused by his comment.

"I mean you're so damned _good_ all of the time, Melody." Bellamy rolled his eyes, sounding slightly exasperated. "You put everyone else first. When it comes down to it, you'll do whatever it takes. You're strong, Melody. You care; probably more than you should. There's no one I would rather have protecting our people."

"Our?" Her voice was soft and hesitant when she looked up at him. "I thought they were your people."

"_Our _people_._" Bellamy agreed with a slight nod. "I've been biased…I've done what I thought was best. You won't do that. You can see things from every angle. You love this rag-tag group of criminals like they're your own, Melody. They're more your people than they are mine. You'll do what's right."

Melody was surprised by Bellamy's words. From the very beginning, he had been going on and on about _his_ people. He made the rules for _his_ people. He made decisions for _his_ people. It was never _their_ people. And now he was saying they were _hers_? That she could have a hand in the decision making? It felt like he was giving Melody something bigger than both of them.

He was giving her a bit of trust.

"Don't touch him again."

Bellamy didn't need to ask who 'he' was. Melody's tone of voice was enough to let him know that she was still thinking about the grounder, and the night that they had tortured him to save Finn's life. That was probably something that she would never be able to forget. A mistake that Bellamy would never be able to take back.

"Melody-"

"No. It's not good for the people, Bellamy. We're in over our heads with the grounders already. Don't' fuel the fire." She pleaded.

Bellamy was silent for a few moments, and then he sighed loudly. "I mean I let him live. Why isn't that enough for you people?"

Obviously, he had been talking to his sister lately.

"Are you doing to take my advice or not?" Melody demanded, narrowing her eyes seriously.

"Fine." Bellamy said, after a brief period of hesitation.

Melody turned to look at Bellamy with widened eyes. Had she heard him correctly? Was he actually listening to her? That was a first. She had thought that he would put up more of a fight, considering his hatred for the grounder and his people.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, trying to judge whether or not he was serious. "You won't torture him again?"

"I _mean_, I'll try it your way. He's not going to be tortured again…for now. Not unless it's necessary." Bellamy looked displeased, but Melody believed that he was telling the truth.

"It won't be necessary." Melody said firmly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Octavia and Finn are fine. He can't do any more damage."

"You don't know what he can do."

"Bellamy, you just said-"

"Take it or leave it, sweetheart." He was clearly annoyed as he pinned her with a menacing stare. "My patience is wearing thin."

"Fine. No torturing him unless _necessary. _But I really think-"

"Bellamy." Clarke was walking towards them, looking at the dark haired male with impatience. "Are you ready to go?"

"Go?" Melody echoed, eyes wide as she looked between the two of them. "Go where?"

"Jaha told Clarke about some supplies. We're going to look at them." Explained Bellamy with a small shrug. "It's just a day trip."

"Then let me go." Melody said, crossing her arms over her chest once more. "I can help you."

"No, Melody." Clarke immediately shot her down. "Bellamy and I can handle it."

"Bellamy, I-"

"_No._" He said firmly, shaking his head. "Stay here and watch over things. We'll be back soon."

"You never let me go." Melody complained, a bit childishly. "I can do something. I can help you, if you'll let me."

"You're better off here." Clarke interjected.

"Do you mind?" Melody gave her an irritated look before her gaze flashed back towards Bellamy. She was still waiting for his answer.

"Clarke and I _both agree_ that you need to stay here. Someone has to lead everyone while we're gone." He pointed out, giving Melody a pointed look. He knew that she wouldn't go if it meant leaving their people defenseless and without order.

"Fine. Just so you know, I hope you become grounder bait."

Melody scowled at the both of them and turned around, walking towards the dropship. She was sick of Bellamy and she was sick of Clarke. She was sick of being left behind and she was sick of not being able to change _anything._

As she left, Melody heard Bellamy's voice.

"A lot can happen in a day."


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

"Hey, there she is!"

Finn's face lit up like a kid on Christmas when Melody ducked into his tent that afternoon, to check on him. He was laying on his bed, hands folded on top of his bandaged-up abdomen, looking positively bored until she walked in. As soon as he caught sight of Melody, Finn was hurrying to sit up on his cot in order to make room for her.

It was the first time they had seen one another since his attack. Well, it was the first time they had seen one another while he was conscious. Although the rest of their friends had been in to visit with him, Melody had been putting their reunion off. It wasn't because she didn't want to see Finn; she did. She just felt so guilty whenever she thought about what had happened. The grounder's knife had hit Finn, but it was meant for her. He'd moved her out of the way and sacrificed himself.

He saved her life.

"I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me." Joked Finn, but there was a serious undertone to his seemingly innocent words.

"Forgot about you? Please." Melody gave him a half-hearted smile as she crept closer to his bedside. "I couldn't forget about you even if I tried, Spacewalker."

"I'm glad." Finn smiled up at her, looking slightly relieved.

The two of them smiled at one another for a few moments, the silence between them a bit more comforting than it was awkward. It gave Melody a few moments to study Finn, who still looked weak but was in better condition than he had been the last time she had seen him.

"I didn't mean to stay away." Melody said quietly, feeling the need to explain herself to him although he hadn't asked.

"It's okay, Melody."

"No, it isn't. I should have come to check on you sooner, but…" She trailed off and shrugged her shoulders.

"But you felt guilty."

Melody was surprised by his words. "What?"

"You felt guilty." Repeated Finn, with a slight shrug. "You thought that it was your fault I got stabbed."

"How did you know that?" She asked, unsettled by Finn's ability to read her so easily. He _always_ seemed to know what she was feeling.

"It's just the way you are, Melody. Even if the grounder hadn't been going for you, even if I hadn't pushed you out of the way, you would _still_ feel guilty. You think that it's your job to protect all of us, but you can't. Sometimes things just happen and it's no one's fault."

"Finn…"

"Don't fight me on this one, Melody."

_But it's my fault! _Melody wanted to scream. _It's always my fault! I can't save anyone. I couldn't save my father, my mother, Jasper, Charlotte, the people from the Ark…And I couldn't save you, either._

But she didn't say any of this aloud.

Rather than voicing her thoughts, Melody nodded reluctantly and did her best to forget about _why_ Finn had gotten hurt and instead she tried to focus on how glad she was that he was recovering. If Finn had died while the two of them were on bad terms, Melody would never have been able to forgive herself.

"Why did you do it, Finn?" She asked after a few moments of silence. "You could have let him stab me."

"You're my friend." He said simply, his gaze softening slightly when he said these words, as if they should have been obvious to her. "I couldn't just let you get hurt, Melody. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."

"I was mean to you." She muttered miserably, dropping her gaze. "I said some awful things right before you got hurt."

"I deserved it."

"What?" Melody's eyes widened in surprise and then shot back up. She immediately began shaking her head and opening her mouth to protest, but Finn was speaking before she got the chance.

"I _did_ deserve it, Melody. I was being a jackass and you had every right to get defensive. If you want to be friends with Bellamy Blake, then who am I to stop you? I mean, it _is _a little confusing…" Finn frowned when he said this, his nose wrinkling slightly in displeasure.

"Confusing? How is it confusing?" Melody frowned as she looked over at him, eyebrows raised in surprise. "We're just friends, Finn. That's as simple as it gets."

"It's confusing because it's _Bellamy. _He doesn't have friends, Mel." Pointed out Finn. "He has followers, he has family, and he has enemies…but no friends. None aside from you."

That much was true. Bellamy wasn't really big on making friends. He excelled in pissing people off and he lived to bark orders at all of them. Bellamy had his followers, he had his sister, and he had a whole group of grounder enemies. But friends? All he had was her.

"Where are you going with this, Finn?" Wondered Melody, who was suddenly feeling very defensive about her relationship with Bellamy Blake. It was none of anyone's business whether or not they were friends. And she didn't want Finn to read too deeply into things.

"The point is, I shouldn't have said anything about you and Bellamy. I'm not ecstatic about your newfound friendship with our ruthless king, but it wasn't my place to say anything about it. I'm sorry that I let something so trivial come between us, Melody."

Finn's apology took Melody by surprise. She had meant to come here and apologize to him for everything. Melody was fully prepared to take all of the blame. Yet here was sweet Finn, the peacekeeper, doing his best to set things right. And Melody appreciated it.

"Thank you." She said softly, smiling at him genuinely for the first time since entering his tent. She felt much better now that she knew Finn held no anger towards her. "And I'm sorry, too. Sorry for everything. For sticking my nose in your personal business and _especially _for drawing on you."

"I forgive you, Melody."

Those words were like music to her ears.

"Friends?" She asked hopefully, extending her hand.

"Friends." Agreed Finn, as he reached out and grasped her hand, giving it a firm shake.

Melody moved forward and sat down beside Finn, making herself small on her side of the bed. Bringing her legs up to her chest, Melody wrapped one arm around them and then rested her chin against her knees. She felt Finn's arm curl around her shoulder as he tugged her closer to his side.

"We're in this together, Mel. We can't keep fighting on opposite sides of the same war."

It felt good sitting there with Finn. The two of them had been at odds since the first time they'd met. But now there was some unspoken agreement between the two of them. They were friends because they needed to lean on one another, to share the burden that was life on Earth.

"Speaking of war…" Melody sighed loudly and turned her gaze towards Finn. "I don't know what we're going to do with the grounder."

"They still have him chained up?" Finn's dark eyes flickered towards the direction of the dropship.

"Yeah. Bellamy insists on keeping him up there until we can figure something else out." Melody informed him, frowning as she remembered her earlier conversation with said Blake. "He says that they won't torture him again, but it's Bellamy…you never know."

"It was bad, then? The…torture." Finn says the word hesitantly, and then he frowns as if it's left a bad taste in his mouth.

"Really bad." Agreed Melody with a nod. "I tried to stop it, but I couldn't." Her fingers skimmed across the bandage which had been wrapped around her arm. Melody remembered all too clearly the bite of Bellamy's blade across her skin.

"It's not your job to try and save everyone, Melody." Finn said softly, his words accompanied by him pulling her slightly closer. "But hey, he's alive, right? And he's got you to thank for that."

"Me?" Melody looked up at Finn, her green eyes wide with surprise. "I had nothing to do with him living. Bellamy made that call."

"Bellamy made the call, but who influenced his decision?" Asked Finn, giving her a pointed look that caused Melody to frown.

"Are you saying that Bellamy let the grounder live because of _me_?" Melody laughed shortly and shook her head, finding Finn's words to be ridiculous.

"That's exactly what I'm saying."

Melody's laughter faded away and then she was looking up at Finn with a slight frown marring her otherwise pretty face. He couldn't be serious. Melody had absolutely nothing to do with Bellamy's decision regarding the grounder. He had chosen to let the grounder live all by himself. The only thing she'd convinced Bellamy to do was stop the torture.

"Finn…I know you all think that he listens to me, but he _doesn't._" Said Melody slowly, putting on her serious face.

"Maybe he doesn't listen to you." Agreed Finn with a shrug. "But he _does_ take your words into account, Melody. Your opinions matter."

"Finn-"

"He's right, Melody." Said Raven, as she stepped into the tent, holding a jug of water. Her eyes fell upon the two of them and she frowned for a moment or two before striding forward and sitting on the edge of the bed. "That grounder is alive because of you."

"Maybe." Melody frowned and looked between the two of them, taking their words into consideration. Perhaps she was the reason that Bellamy was keeping the grounder alive. Maybe she had finally gotten through to him.

"And with your help, maybe we can settle this." Finn said quietly, his words for Melody's ears only. His eyes darted towards Raven and then back towards Mel, who was looking at him curiously.

"Settle this? How?" She whispered back, curious as to Finn's take on the whole situation. Whose side was he on? Hers or Octavia's? Peacefulness or any means necessary?

"We'll talk later." And then, he raised his voice and looked at Raven. "Did you find out what's happening around camp?"

"Well, Clarke and Bellamy are gone. Other than that it's business as usual." Raven shrugged and looked at them, still frowning. "What's going on with you two?"

"While Bellamy's gone, I wanted to ask you something." Melody told Finn as she purposefully avoided Raven's question. "I need a favor."

"Alright. Shoot." Finn sat up straighter and withdrew his arm as he looked down at Melody curiously, almost eagerly. Her words were probably the most exciting ones Finn had heard in a while, considering he was on bed rest.

"Take it easy, Finn." Chided Raven gently. "Clarke said you need to rest."

"I'm fine." Finn insisted, giving Raven a large and false smile. His impatience was buried just beneath the surface and Melody could hear it plainly in his voice. "What do you need, Mels?"

"Well, you know how Bellamy made my bow?"

Finn nodded.

"I need to repay the favor…"

Melody had just finished explaining her idea to Finn when the screaming started.

It was loud and panicked and it chilled her to the bone. Melody felt as if all of the happiness had drained out of her and was suddenly replaced with fear. Not because someone was screaming, but because she knew that scream.

"Jasper." She gasped, eyes widening.

There was no denying that it was Jasper who had begun screaming. Melody had only heard that sound once, when the grounders had moved Jasper after spearing him. The screams sounded like they were more scared than pained, which both relieved and frightened Melody. Jasper wasn't hurt yet, but his screaming suggested that he might be soon if she didn't hurry up and come to his rescue.

Melody couldn't let him get hurt. Not again.

With that thought in mind, she was across the tent in a matter of seconds. Finn was calling after her, but Melody hardly heard him. She could hardly hear anything over the sound of her thundering heartbeat. As the screaming continued, Melody ripped open the door and stepped outside, looking around frantically for the first sign of a threat. Wide-eyed and out of breath, she spun around in a circle as she sought out Jasper.

"Jasper!" Melody shouted to him as she sprinted towards the sound of his voice.

_Jasper. Jasper. Jasper._

Melody couldn't form a coherent thought. All she could think about was Jasper and getting to him, helping him, saving him from whatever was out there.

"Melody!" His answering shout sounded slightly panicked. "Melody, over here!"

Now breathing hard, Melody sprinted towards the general direction of Jasper's voice. Her fear mingled with her worry and it left her emotions in a crazy whirlwind. _Jasper. Jasper. Jasper. _His name was the only solid thing in her mind. Nothing else mattered but him.

"Mel? Mel, I've got him." Octavia shouted, sounding confused. "He's okay."

The two of them came into view, clinging to one another while Jasper rambled urgently. Relief instantly washed over Melody when she saw that neither one of them were harmed. Jasper looked terrified and Octavia looked confused, but they were unharmed.

It was almost enough to make Melody weep with gratitude.

"What the hell happened?" Asked Melody breathlessly as she neared the two of them quickly.

"Melody? Melody!" Jasper pulled her closer, practically crushing her in his embrace. "Thank God you're okay! He didn't get you."

"_He?_" Melody gently patted Jasper on the back and looked at Octavia with raised brows.

"Jasper says he saw a grounder."

"What? Where?" Asked Melody shrilly, her eyes darting around quickly.

"There's nothing there, Melody." Octavia murmured the words softly. She was watching Jasper with a worried look on her face. "It's not real."

"He's right there!" Shouted Jasper, as he pointed towards…well, nothing. He was talking about something that the rest of them couldn't see. Something that wasn't really there. Something that was in his head. "We have to run. _We have to run._ Why isn't anyone doing any-?"

"Be quiet!" Melody scolded, making a loud shushing noise as she looked around quickly, seeing that many curious eyes had fallen upon them when Jasper began to shout.

"Shut up." Added Octavia in a hiss, as she too noticed that Jasper was beginning to freak people out. In the same soft, confused voice she asked him, "Jasper, are you on something?"

"On something?" Melody asked with a frown. "We're in the middle of nowhere, O."

"Monty was raised on _Agro._" Pointed out Octavia. "If there's anything down here, he'd know it."

She did have a point. Melody remembered Monty and Jasper talking about getting locked up for not replacing some of the herbs they had taken from Agro station. If anything down here was going to get them high, Monty would surely know before the rest of them.

Jasper reached out and grabbed Octavia by the shoulder, leaning in so he could talk to her. "I love you, and I just want you to know this." He said quietly, causing both girl's eyes to widen in surprise and amusement. "We're all gonna die soon, okay? I love you."

And then, he went to shovel in another handful of the nuts they'd gathered in the forest.

Octavia reached out and took the small, green Jobi Nut. She looked at it hesitantly for a few moments, and then she looked back to Jasper. "Is this all you've eaten today?"

"It is, but who the hell cares now?" Suddenly, he sounded sad. Sad and panicked and on the verge of tears.

"Calm down." Urged Melody gently. She moved forward and wrapped an arm around Jasper, giving him a gentle squeeze. "You're going to be fine."

"You're totally bombed." Octavia accused, sounding kind of surprised and kind of exasperated.

"It wasn't intentional." Mused Melody as she looked at the container of Jobi Nuts sitting just a few feet away, on a table. "It has to be the nuts. They're hallucinogens or something."

"I guessed as much." Muttered Octavia, as she tossed the small Jobi Nut aside. "Everyone in camp has been munching on these things today. I'd say we've got a limited amount of time before they all go batshit crazy."

"It'll be okay." Melody said the words more to herself than to Octavia. She forced a confident smile and gave Jasper a gentle pat on the shoulder before moving away from him. "We just have to lock the gate. We need to make sure everyone stays inside camp."

"Stay inside camp? We need to _run_!" Insisted Jasper, in a panicked voice. "Melody, please."

"There's nothing inside these walls that can hurt us, Jasper. We need to stay put." Running from nonexistent grounders wasn't really on her to-do list.

Octavia looked around for a few moments before letting out a happy noise and reaching for something on the ground. "Here, buddy. Take this." A thick, medium-length stick was being pushed in Jasper's direction.

"It's a stick." Jasper looked at Octavia as if _she_ were the crazy one.

"No. This is an anti-Grounder stick. So long as you hold this and you sit right here," She paused and gently lowered Jasper -who was still clutching the stick- to the ground. "Grounders won't be able to see you. See?"

"Yeah. Makes sense." Mumbled Jasper with a nod as he stared down at his anti-grounder stick. The Jobi Nuts had him convinced that Octavia's words were true. "I'll just stay right here." He said quietly, nodding his head to himself.

"Stay right here." Echoed Octavia, as she gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder.

Melody watched Jasper for a few moments before turning and following after Octavia. The dark haired female had made her way up to the table and was grabbing a small bag of Jobi Nuts from the pile.

"O, what are you doing?" Wondered Melody as she eyed the bag suspiciously. "You're not going to eat those." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Of course Octavia wouldn't eat the crazy hallucinogen nuts. She wasn't _stupid._

"Are you with me, Melody?" Octavia turned to face her, with a stern expression on her face.

"Until the end." Melody assured her. And she was with Octavia, no matter what. No questions asked.

"I think I know how we're going to get Lincoln out of here." Admitted Octavia as she held up and gently shook the bag of Jobi Nuts.

"Lincoln?"

"The grounder." Octavia explained. "I saw him earlier. He thinks that our people are going to kill him, Melody."

"They're not." Melody shook her head firmly. Coming down to Earth might have begun as a death sentence, but it had turned into something amazing. A chance at life. No one was going to be murdered in this camp as long as she still had a say. "What do we need to do?"

"We need to make sure everyone's off their rockers. You patrol and convince all of the people you see to help themselves to our food supply." Instructed Octavia.

"Okay, I can do that." Melody was confident with her task. She knew that her influence in camp had grown considerably over the last few days. People respected her and they listened to her and they _liked _her. Why would they think she was sabotaging them? "What about you, Octavia? What will you do?"

"I'm going to give Miller this bag." She shook the small, silver package once more and then shifted her gaze towards the dropship. "Bellamy put him in charge of the grounder. When Miller is out of the way, we can get Lincoln free."

"And you're _sure_ he won't just slaughter all of our friends the moment we release him?" Melody asked, giving Octavia a pointed look. "I'm with you, O…but the people come first. I can't knowingly put them in danger."

"Don't worry, Mel." Octavia reached out and placed a hand upon Melody's shoulder in a comforting gesture. Their gazes locked for a few moments, and they shared a silent exchange that made Melody feel a million times better, even before Octavia said, "Trust me."

"I trust you." Her response was genuine. It was amazing how far the two of them had come in just a few short weeks. Although Melody had initially been jealous of Octavia and resentful towards the other girl, she now respected and cared for the youngest Blake beyond words.

"Good. Now get your scrawny ass moving, because we need to act quickly." Octavia was already backing away from Melody and towards the dropship, although they continued to look at one another. "Clarke and Bellamy will be back soon."

That was all it took for Melody to get moving.

She walked first towards the group of campers that surrounded the table where the Jobi Nuts were being packaged. The people standing around the table were moving quickly, shoving handfuls of nuts into the small, silver food packages from the Ark, which had been found in Raven's cargo pod. None of them seemed to be snacking as they worked, which was both a surprise and a problem.

"Hey, aren't you guys hungry?" Questioned Melody casually, as she leaned against the table. "You know…eating a few wouldn't hurt anything." She insisted, reaching out to grab a handful of the green nuts.

"We need to ration food." Said one of the girls with strawberry blonde hair. Her blue eyes were soft, but determined. "Clarke and Bellamy said so."

"Well, are Clarke and Bellamy here?" Asked Melody, narrowing her eyes.

"Uh…no."

"And do you know who's in charge when the King and Princess are off playing 'hero'?"

The girl shook her head, blue eyes widening.

"Me." Melody pretended to pop one of the Jobi Nuts into her mouth. She then proceeded to go through the motions of chewing and swallowing. "Now take a break and eat some damn lunch. Got it?"

They all hurried to comply, some looking relieved while others looked slightly worried. They might be young, but they weren't stupid. Winter was approaching quickly and The 100 were nowhere near prepared. If only Melody could assure them that these nuts wouldn't be added to their supplies…

After that group, Melody made a circle around camp. She offered the Jobi Nuts to everyone she could find. With their leaders away, many of the campers were relaxing and hanging out. The ones who weren't already consuming the hallucinogens eagerly accepted them. Some refused for various reasons -despite Melody's persistence- but the majority of the campers had no reason to object.

The effect of the Jobi Nuts was almost immediate.

People suddenly began to get very…happy. Melody didn't understand what made them so serene, but nobody had any complaints. They stumbled around and laughed and went about their merry business. No one aside from Jasper seemed to have any fear of attack, and he was still sitting down in the corner with his anti-grounder stick. Even the roughest, toughest criminals were all smiles as they joked with one another. Miller stood off to the side, conversing with himself after abandoning his position on the third level.

The best part was, no one paid Melody and Octavia any mind.

"We've got shoes!" Whispered Melody, holding up a pair of boots that had been shed by one of the campers in a desperate attempt to be 'closer to Earth.' Whatever these kids were feeling right now, Melody wanted no part of it.

"I found pants. And a hoodie." Replied Octavia, as the two of them weaved their way in and out of the crowd, tying not to draw attention to themselves. It was rather easy considering the rest of the group was currently very high on life….and Jobi Nuts.

"Tee-shirt." Melody reached out and snatched up a light colored tee, which had been resting on one of the tables. Surely no one would miss it. At least not while in this state of mind. "What else do we need?"

"Nothing." Octavia said, shaking her head as she looked down at their hands, which were full of clothing for the grounder. "Now we let him out."

And then, they were running.

No one paid the two girls any mind as they sprinted towards the dropship. They weaved their way in and out of the crowd, trying to work as quickly as possible. The window of opportunity was quickly closing. If they wanted to get the grounder out of camp, it had to be while their leaders were away and their people were indisposed.

It was now or never.

The dropship was deserted when they got there. Octavia and Melody scrambled up the ladder, one after another. They climbed the first ladder, sprinted across the second level, and then climbed the second ladder. By the time they had reached the third floor, they were both out of breath.

"Stand guard." Octavia told Melody, as she began to move towards the grounder. Melody nodded and watched Octavia, waiting for any further instruction. This was _her_ rescue mission, and Melody was going to do it _her_ way. Even if that meant sitting on the sidelines.

"Don't move." Octavia began to cut through the wires that held the grounder, Lincoln, in place. The wire-cutters that she'd found worked like a charm, and within moments she was quickly freeing the grounder from his prison.

When his first wrist was freed, Lincoln stumbled to the side and let out a groan. It was obvious then that his time spent in camp had weakened him considerably. How different he was now compared to the night he'd been brought in. His eyes had once held a certain fire, a determinedness. And now Melody saw only surrender in those dark brown depths.

"We've got to hurry." Octavia quickly freed his feet next, which had been tied to in a similar fashion. Finally, she cut free his second wrist, which caused the grounder to fall to his knees with another pain-filled sound.

"Why are you doing this?" He asked, his voice deep and raspy and slightly confused.

"Just get dressed." Replied Octavia. She quickly began to help the grounder pull on the clothes that the two of them had scavenged.

"I don't need you to help me." The grounder protested, but he was in no shape to help himself at the moment. Octavia ignored his words and continued to help him into the dark-red hoodie that she had found.

"You said it. Stay here, you'll die. I'm not gonna let that happen." She pulled the hoodie onto his body, and then followed it with a dark jacket. The grounder was cooperative, but reluctant.

"I'm not going to put you in danger."

"We need to do this now."

There was a new determinedness in Octavia's voice when she spoke. There was no way she would leave the grounder to die. Not after what he had done for her. Lincoln had saved her life, and in return he had been beaten and tortured and put through hell.

Bellamy Blake be damned, she was going to make sure that Lincoln made it out alive.

Lincoln was helping pull the clothes on, but it was obvious that he wasn't completely trusting Octavia's plan to work. "Even in these clothes, I'll be seen."

"People are seeing plenty of things right now." Muttered Octavia as she finally finished dressing him.

"Hurry, O. Hurry." Urged Melody, who stood near the hatch that led down to the second floor. Her job was to watch for Miller or another one of Bellamy's cronies.

Octavia and Lincoln both looked towards her then. For the first time, the grounder seemed to realize she was in the room. His dark eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he seemed to put himself in front of Octavia slightly, as if to protect her. Like Octavia was the one who needed protecting at the moment.

"Right." Octavia nodded at Melody and then crouched down to wrap her arm around the grounder. "Up you go." She said as she helped to lift him from the floor.

The two of them made their way slowly towards Melody. The grounder had a pronounced limp, and so did Octavia. His was from the torture, hers from her nasty fall down the hill. They were both breathless and in obvious pain, but they managed to make their way towards the hatch.

"What'd you do?" Asked the grounder, as they paused near the ladder.

"Set out some of our winter rations a little early." Octavia explained shortly, as she continued to fix his clothes and fuss over his appearance, trying to get it just right.

"Jobi nuts. The nuts you gave my guard…when they go bad they can cause visions." He explained, watching as Octavia fixed his attire. "But it wears off."

"Just try to get as far as you can, okay?"

He nodded.

"And try not to get yourself killed."

Melody was practically tapping her foot at this point. She looked between the two of them and the lower level quickly, wishing that they would hurry up. No one knew how long those nuts would keep the delinquents at bay. If they were getting Lincoln out, it was now or never.

Finally, Lincoln began to move towards the hatch. He was almost there when he hesitated and came to a stop. For a few seconds he stood there, and then he doubled back to Octavia. They stared at one another for what seemed like an eternity before their lips met.

Melody had the common sense to look away and let the two of them share this private moment. Under the circumstances, she wasn't going to put up a fuss about Octavia and the grounder. After all, it was only one kiss. The two of them would probably never see one another again. What could it really hurt?

Lincoln was moving towards the ladder now, and Melody moved out of his way. She expected him to walk right by her, but he didn't. Instead, Lincoln paused in front of Melody and looked at her for a few moments with those intense brown eyes.

"Thank you." Lincoln said slowly, his words sounding sincere. And then, as if he was unable to help himself, he reached out and wrapped a strand of her reddish-orange hair around his finger. He tugged on it gently, almost affectionately, and something passed between them that needed no words.

Sure, it wasn't a kiss, but it was good enough for her.

"Rough night?"

Octavia and Melody were walking back into camp when Monty approached them with a smile. The two of them had spent some time on the third level, sitting in silence after Lincoln left. What they had done was risky, but it was the right thing to do. There would be no more beatings and no more torture. No matter what Bellamy or anyone else said, that just wasn't who they were. Neither Melody nor Octavia had a single regret.

When they re-joined the campers, there was no reason for anyone to suspect them. No one knew the grounder was gone yet. Everyone was still recovering from the impact of the Jobi Nuts. Which meant that there were no pressing questions and no one suspected a thing. Lincoln was gone and the two of them were in the clear.

All in all, the rescue mission was a success.

At Monty's question, Octavia gave Melody a wide-eyed look. That look said it all; _we don't have a real cover story._ Not worried, Melody shrugged her shoulders and continued walking, forcing herself to act as casually as possible.

"Yeah, it was rough." Melody said, nodding.

"Oh yeah…my head is killing me." Said Octavia as she pressed her hand to her temple. "What about you?"

"Well, I think I ate a pinecone." Monty informed them happily, as he obviously didn't detect anything suspicious about their words. "…because it told me too."

Both girls laughed at this, more out of relief than anything.

_Act casual, act casual, act casual…_

"He's gone!" Suddenly, Miler came tearing out of the dropship, his eyes wide and panicked. He looked around at all of them and shook his head. "The grounder's gone!"

People began to shout and shriek and panic at his words. There were several anxious campers who were insisting that they were all going to die now. Melody and Octavia were the only ones who remained silent, both of them feeling rather at ease with the whole situation.

"_We're all going to die!" _

"_The grounder might come back!"_

"_And he might bring his friends!"_

"Let the grounders come." Bellamy's booming voice resonated throughout the camp, silencing those who were anxious.

Side by side, Bellamy and Clarke walked back into camp. Melody couldn't tell what it was, but something had changed between the two of them. For once, they looked like a united front. The two of them wore similar, determined looks as they made their way to the center of the circle surrounded the bonfire.

Something about seeing the two of them looking so _badass_ both inspired and terrified Melody. She loved seeing their leaders looking so powerful. At the same time, there was just something different about them now. They both looked more grown-up. Wiser, even. Whatever happened on their little day trip must have had a big impact if the two of them were suddenly acting so friendly.

Melody's experience told her that if Clarke and Bellamy were on the same side, things were about to get worse before they got better.

"We've been afraid of them for far too long." Continued Bellamy, as he looked around the campfire slowly. "And why? Because of their knives and spears." His eyes met Melody's for a moment, brown on green, and suddenly everything felt okay for a few moments. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm tired of being afraid."

Bellamy looked to Clarke, and something passed between the two of them. It was both eerie and reassuring. He nodded, and then they both dropped the bags that they had been carrying over their shoulders. Murmurs erupted from the crowd when everyone realized what was tied to the outside of those bags.

Guns.

"These are weapons, not toys. We have to be prepared to give them up to the guard when the dropship lands." Clarke said, as her eyes scanned the group slowly. "But until then…they can keep us safe."

"And there are plenty more where these came from." Added Bellamy. "Tomorrow we start training. And if the grounders come, we're going to be ready to fight."

Melody glanced at Octavia and then stepped closer, wrapping her arm around the other girl's shoulder.

Finn glanced at Raven, who looked away uneasily.

Jasper glanced at Monty and then slumped down in his seat.

Bellamy glanced at Clarke, and she gave him a firm nod.

And in that moment, they all knew the truth that everyone was far too afraid to put into words.

The war had begun.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

"_My friends, this is a historic Unity Day._" Announced Chancellor Jaha, over the comms that had been helping them to communicate with the Ark for the last few days_. _"_Every year, we mark the moment our ancestors of the twelve stations joined to form the Ark, but this is the last time we do so while aboard her. Next year, on the ground._"

There was cheering and clapping from the citizens of the Ark at their chancellor's announcement. The group of campers that surrounded the communications system just watched, looking less than impressed by this bit of news. By now, the excitement that was Earth had faded and they no longer saw the ground as being this strange, new place; it was just home to them.

"Right. After _we _did all the work." Scoffed Miller, gesturing to both himself and the other campers as he watched the Chancellor through the screen. "Someone shut him up."

"_You _shut up, Miller." Remarked Raven, her eyes flickering to him for only a moment before they went back to the screen. "No one's forcing you to watch."

The rest of the campers nodded their agreement, and Miller rolled his eyes. Melody, who was standing next to him, reached out and placed a friendly arm on his shoulder. She, too, rolled her eyes and nodded her head towards the others as if to say '_ignore them._' Miller flashed her a weak grin and shoved his hands deep into his pockets.

Melody's green eyes went back to the small screen, where the chancellor was still delivering his Unity Day speech. In addition to the normal spiel about how the Ark had been created, Chancellor Jaha was talking about the return to Earth and how long their people had been waiting for this day. And, like the blissfully ignorant citizens that they were, the people of the Ark clapped and rejoiced at the thought.

_Of course they're excited. They don't know what's really down here, _thought Melody with a small frown. _They don't know that we're fighting for our lives. They don't know that we're in the middle of a war. They just don't _know.

"Something troubling you, sweetheart?" Asked Bellamy, as he stepped in between Melody and Miller, arms folded over his chest as he looked down at her.

"Just the fact that he's keeping the truth from them." Melody retorted coolly. "The citizens have a right to know what to expect when they get here. Jaha should tell them."

"Why?"

"What do you mean 'why'?" She scowled at him in confusion.

"Why should he tell them? It's not like they can just stay on the Ark; it's _dying. _Dangerous or not, Earth is their only chance at survival." He pointed out. "Nothing Jaha says is going to make a difference. They can either stay up there and die, or they can come down here and live."

"Yes, but for how long? Grounder attacks are sporadic. The acid fog can melt human skin like it's butter. There are animals lurking in the forest and in the lakes that are mutated and potentially dangerous." Melody listed each and every threat that they had encountered so far, ticking them off on her fingers as she went along. "Who's to say they won't be dead within the first twenty-four hours?"

"Well, we survived." He reminded her. "And if we can do it, they can."

_They're not like us, _thought Melody. _All they know is what's been taught to them. They only know the ways of the Ark, not the ways of the Earth. They don't know how to survive like we do._

But she didn't say any of this aloud.

Instead, Melody looked up at him for a few moments and studied him closely. Did Bellamy honestly thought that the rest of their people were going to come down and that things were going to be alright? Did he think that the guard would be enough to protect them from any threats that Earth proposed? Although she thought him foolish, Melody didn't have the heart to point out the flaw in his logic.

"Well, I still think they should be prepared." She said finally, with a small shrug, as if that was her final thought on the matter and he wasn't going to sway her away from it.

Melody had to admit that Bellamy did have one good point. No matter how much Jaha did or did not tell them, his people would follow him to what they thought to be salvation. . The citizens of the Ark knew that they either had to come down to Earth and take their chances, or die from oxygen deprivation.

The choice was an easy one, but even the easiest of choices came with consequences.

"Speaking of being prepared…" Bellamy trailed off, staying quiet until Melody looked up at him curiously. "Guns. You wanna learn to use one?"

"Get real, Bellamy." Melody gave him a chiding look and crossed her own arms over her chest.

Guns? _Guns? _

She had absolutely no use for any of the guns he and Clarke had brought back to camp. Those weapons were nothing compared to her beloved bow, which was slowly becoming more and more cooperative. A few more days of practice and she would master archery altogether.

"Just thought I would offer, sweetheart." Bellamy chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "But I figured you would say something along those lines."

"Oh yeah?" Melody arched an eyebrow. "And why'd you figure that?"

"Because you're you." He smirked down at her, his brown eyes softening ever so slightly. "When it comes down to it, you're always going to go against the grain."

"Yeah, well…" Melody shrugged her shoulders. "What's that quote? Why fit in when-"

"You're born to stand out." Finished Bellamy quietly.

"That's it." She agreed, with a slight nod.

The two of them looked at one another for a few long moments, smiling genuinely for what felt like the first time in ages. Not because they had to in order to keep up morale or to reassure their friends; they were smiling because for the first time in a long time, they actually felt good. They felt almost _normal. _

But the moment was fleeting.

"Whoo! _Yeah!_ Monty strikes again!"

Suddenly, Jasper came hurrying out of the tent that he and Monty spent so much of their time in. It was a special tent, set aside from the living quarters, where the two boys busied themselves with making Monty's infamous moonshine, among other things, like this 'Unity Juice.' As expected, Jasper was carrying a large, metal jug that was filled to the brim with the potent alcohol.

"Call this batch Unity Juice! Who's thirsty?" Shouted Jasper, who was suddenly being swarmed by a few dozen campers, all who held their bottles out to him eagerly.

Melody eyed Jasper and smiled, grateful that he and Monty were able to bring a bit of joy into camp. Most of the campers had been on edge since Lincoln had disappeared from the camp. They were all convinced that he was out for vengeance and that he would come back with a whole army of grounders. None of them knew what Octavia and Melody knew. None of them knew that he was one of the good guys.

"What about you, Mels?" Asked Jasper, as he pushed his way through the crowd and came to stand in front of her and Bellamy. "Are you gonna get your drink on?"

Melody laughed and shook her head, holding out one hand to keep him from coming closer. "No, I don't think so."

"Awe, come on!" Jasper urged with a grin.

"No, I don't think it's a good-"

"She's drinking." Declared Bellamy, silencing Melody as he held out his aluminum water bottle.

Jasper laughed and quickly tipped the jug and began to pour some of the alcohol into Bellamy's bottle despite Melody's protests. They all watched as the clear liquid quickly filled up the bottle. Mel nibbled on her lower lip slightly as she tried to weigh the pros and cons of drinking Jasper and Monty's crazy concoction.

Pro; she could have a good time.

Con; she would probably regret it in the morning.

Pro; she could keep her sorrows at bay for a few hours.

Con; she would only feel worse when she remembered said sorrows.

Pro; she could-

"You're _drinking._" Bellamy insisted, as if he could sense that Melody was indecisive. "You could use a pick-me-up, sweetheart."

He extended his arm, holding the bottle out for her to take. Melody's eyes fell upon it, and for a few moments she was still hesitant. Bellamy shook the bottle enticingly, his brown eyes alit with mirth. They seemed to say, '_you know you want to._'

And she kind of did.

"Screw it." Muttered Melody.

She took the bottle from Bellamy and brought it to her lips, tipping her head back before she took a large swallow. The liquid was like fire as it coursed down her throat, but she welcomed the burning sensation. Melody had only ever drank three times in her whole entire life, and each time was just as miserable as the last.

The first time had been when they were waiting for Jasper to recover. Finn and Clarke had gone out to get some medicine, and had returned with a little more than they bargained for; a bottle of whiskey. Finn had been more than happy to share with Melody and Octavia.

The second time had been the night that Finn was stabbed. Clarke was using some of Monty's moonshine to sterilize the equipment that she needed to use for Finn's surgery. Melody had been in need of a bit of liquid courage, so she had helped herself.

And this would be the third time. In the midst of all the crazy, they had somehow managed to find time to celebrate Unity Day. And although Melody had never felt less united with the Ark than she did right now, it was an excuse to drink and so she took it.

After drinking her fill of Unity Juice, Melody wiped her mouth on the back of her hand and passed the bottle off to Bellamy. "Thanks. I _did_ need that."

"Any time, sweetheart." He replied easily before he took a hearty swig of Unity Juice. Then, he capped the bottle and handed it to Melody. She fastened the water bottle onto her belt, right beside her knife.

"So, about this whole 'Unity Day' thing." Began Melody, as she folded her arms over her chest once more. "Is it really-?"

The sound of an explosion rang out in the air surrounding the comms.

Melody barely had time to think before she was being jerked around like some sort of rag doll. A firm hand wrapped itself around her wrist and tugged, hard. She stumbled forward -due to the force that he had pulled her with- and collided with Bellamy in an almost painful manner. At the same time that he pulled her against him, Bellamy turned so that he was shielding Melody from whatever danger there might be.

They were both breathing hard. Tucked into Bellamy's side, Melody could hear his frantic heartbeat and she could feel the slight quivering of his hand on her hip. Her small fists had wound themselves within the material of his shirt, and she was clinging to him with wide green eyes.

What the hell had just happened?

"It's alright!" Called Raven, who was still standing near the communications system. She looked frustrated as she fiddled with some wires and tapped on the screen. "Something happened on the Ark. The comms are down."

"Jesus Christ." Cursed Bellamy, as he looked over at her. "What the hell was that? I thought we were under attack."

"Some sort of explosion that happened during the pageant." Raven said with a shrug, before giving up on the system. She stepped away from it and gave Bellamy a wry smile. "So much for _unity_ day."

Bellamy just shook his head and then turned his gaze towards Melody, who was still holding fast to his shirt. Her green eyes were slightly unfocused, her lips parted as she took in a few shaky breaths. It was only when Bellamy said her name softly once, twice, and then a third time -he sounded slightly panicked by that point, which was what caught her attention- did she look up at him.

Both her heart and her mind were racing.

A handful of kids had just been blown up. A handful of _kids _had just been blown up. A handful of kids had _just_ been blown up_._ A handful of kids had just been _blown up._ On the Ark. Right before her very eyes. And it was insanely hard to process something that was so disturbing and heart-wrenching.

He must have sensed that she was shaken, because his grip on her tightened just slightly for a few moments, and then he was pulling away. That slight action comforted Melody more than he would ever know. Her green eyes followed his hands as they went to her waist once more. Bellamy unfastened the bottle of Unity Juice from where she had strung it through one of the holes of her belt and then offered it to her.

"Drink up, sweetheart." He ordered gently as he dangled the bottle in front of her face once more. "You're going to need it."

Melody threw her hands up and shouted in victory when the small, metal washer she had thrown landed dead-center in a cup of Unity Juice. Her partner, Fletcher, - who just so happened to be Monty and Jasper's friend from the Ark- was just as ecstatic about Melody making the shot as she was.

"Another point for us." Fletch shouted, as he held his hand up for a high-five.

"Hell yeah!" Agreed Melody, enthusiastically, as she slapped her hand against his. "We're killing it right now."

As if to prove her point, Melody picked up another one of the little metal pieces. She closed one eye and set her sights on one of the remaining cups. After moving her wrist back and forth a few times and getting a feel of the weight of the piece, Melody threw it. The washer landed in another cup, and more shouts of victory rang out.

Melody threw her head back and laughed loudly when she felt Fletcher pick her up and twirl the both of them in a circle. Her mind was reeling slightly, either from the spinning motion or from the Unity Juice she had been steadily consuming all day. When she was placed on her feet once more, Melody gripped the table's edge for a bit of stability.

The night had been spent playing "Unity Juice Pong" with some of the other campers, seeing as how no one had any desire to do anything but celebrate. Although no one was really celebrating _Unity Day_, no one was objecting to letting loose for a couple of hours. Their time spent on Earth had pretty much been all work and no play ever since the discovery of the grounders. Everyone, even Melody, felt that a break was deserved.

"How do you do that?" Demanded Monty, who was scowling as he picked up the cup that Melody had just landed. "You guys have landed eight shots _in a row._ We've landed three." His scowl was now directed at his partner, who just so happened to be Jasper.

"Hey, don't blame me." Jasper held his hands up innocently and took a few steps away from his angry-looking partner, who had been measuring their shots perfectly since the start of the game.

"Well I know it isn't _me._" Monty insisted. "Maybe if you just aligned your shots and took the circumference of the washers into account-"

"That's it." Jasper held up one hand and silenced Monty with it. He obviously wasn't in the mood to talk nerd with his best friend. "Count me out. I needed a re-fill anyways." The boy teased, grinning at them all as he quickly made his way away from the table.

While Monty walked after Jasper, insisting that he stay, Fletch turned to look at Melody with a wide smile. His face was slightly red -presumably from the large amount of Unity Juice that he had already consumed- and he moved sluggishly, almost tiredly.

"Does this mean we win?" Asked Fletch.

"By default." Melody shrugged her shoulders.

"A win is a win!" Fletcher chuckled and slung one arm lazily over her shoulder, pulling Melody close against him so that she was tucked into his side. "I say we celebrate."

"How?" She asked, her voice muffled by a mouthful of his tee-shirt, which only caused her to giggle more as she pulled away, looking up at him with big, green eyes.

"By drinking." He grabbed the two remaining cups. One he kept for himself, and one he handed to Melody.

Melody was just about to take a sip when Fletcher began to move. Because his arm was still locked firmly around her shoulders, Melody stumbled along with him, spilling her drink all over the place. A chorus of giggles arose from the girl as she did her best not to trip over her own feet as she was all but dragged behind Fletcher.

He came to a jerky stop in front of the fire for a few moments and he wobbled dangerously close to the flames. One moment he looked about ready to fall in, and then suddenly he was sitting down hard in one of the chairs that had been put in front of the bonfire. Melody was yanked down and onto his lap, which made the entire world to spin once more, and caused her to giggle even harder.

She felt so light-hearted and warm, as if she had not a single care in the entire world. That was the Unity Juice working its magic. It made her mind feel fuzzy around the edges and it seemed to knock down all of the walls that Melody had spent years building up. For the first time in a long time, she just enjoyed herself without worrying about the consequences of her actions.

For a long time the two of them just sat there, staring at the fire. The reds and oranges and yellows of the fire were stunning. They completely captivated the attention of the two teens who seemed to have very short attention spans when under the influence of Unity Juice. Melody could have watched the fire forever, but suddenly there was a more pressing matter at hand.

"I miss mac'n'cheese." She whined softly, her lower lip jutting out slightly. "It was my favorite."

For some reason, the combination of colors in the fire had reminded Melody of her favorite food as a child; macaroni and cheese. When looking at the golden flames she could somehow envision the warm meal and all of its cheesy goodness. A pang of longing shot through her suddenly, and for a moment Melody found herself almost in tears over the lack of mac'n'cheese on Earth.

"I miss the stars." Fletch added quietly, as he looked up at the night sky briefly. "Like, being up close and personal with them. I miss _space._"

"I miss the books." Continued Melody. "Shakespeare and Hemmingway and Marlowe."

"I miss the _people._" He retorted. "My parents. My friends."

"Real beds. Ones without spiders in them."

"Old movies; electricity in general."

"Being warm…"

As she said the words, Melody shivered slightly. The nights were growing colder now, the air chilly against her bare arms and face. If they didn't find some winter supplies soon, things were going to get really ugly.

"Here." Fletcher reached up and pulled off his hat -one of those winter-style ones with the fuzzy pom-poms on the top- before offering it to Melody with a small smile. "You need it more than me."

"Thank you!" Melody pulled the hat over her head, glad for the slight barrier between her bare skin and the cold night. "You're too sweet."

"I'm not sweet." Fletch laughed and shook his head. "Just polite."

"A real gentleman." Melody agreed.

She leaned backwards and settled against his chest, eyes still focused on the fire. One of Fletcher's arms re-wrapped itself around her shoulder, and the two of them sat in a comfortable silence among several others who surrounded the bonfire. Once again Melody was struck with the feeling of _home_, a feeling that she had never felt before coming to Earth.

And now, suddenly it was all around her.

She saw home in the mischievous glint in Jasper's eyes whenever he said something particularly cheeky. She saw home in the way Monty bored them all to death with his techno talk that no one really understood. In the way Clarke was always on stand-by, ignoring her own well-being, ready to patch them up and offer her reassuring words. In the way Finn looked at her, as if he would do anything in his power to make sure she wanted for nothing. In the way Raven threw herself into the middle of things so whole-heartedly, offering up whatever she could give. In the way Octavia embraced her, not as a fellow camper or as a friend, but as a sister. And in the way Bellamy was always watching her from afar, keeping all of the monsters at bay.

"Nice, isn't it?" She murmured softly.

"Hmm?" Asked Fletcher, as he turned his head slightly to look at her.

"Earth." A happy little sigh left from between her slightly parted lips. "It's just so beautiful. And it's all ours."

"Ark'll be here soon." Said Fletch.

"Shhh." Melody swatted at him playfully, a scowl on her face. "Don't remind me."

"They'll protect us from the grounders, y'know."

"Protect? Ha!" Melody jumped up, tripping slightly over her own two feet as she did so.

"They've got the guns. And the manpower."

"I don't need any guns and I don't need any manpower. I've got me and my bow." She bragged, in a taunting, sing-song voice.

"You do?" Fletch managed to look impressed, which wasn't difficult in his drunken stupor. "Where'd you get a bow?"

"Bellamy made it for me!" She declared proudly, her words followed by a soft string of giggles.

"Can you shoot it?"

"Of course!" Melody huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, -teetering slightly as she did so- looking offended. "I can show you."

With that, she turned and began to walk -stumble- away from him. The bow was tucked away safely in the hollow of a tree near her tent. Melody didn't feel comfortable leaving it in her tent, but she also couldn't carry it on her back all of the time. She had hollowed out the tree trunk one night when no one was around, and she had been stashing her bow and arrows in there ever since.

"_Can you shoot it_?" Mocked Melody, in a very deep voice that was supposed to be Fletcher's. "Who the hell does he think…?" She tripped over a fallen log and fell into the dirt, landing on her knees with a loud 'oof!' "I am?" She brushed herself off and stood up, continuing onwards towards her tree, guided by the flickering light of nearby campfires.

"He probably thinks you're drunk." Drawled a voice from directly in front of her. "And in no condition to be handling weapons."

Melody screeched loudly, her green eyes widening as she ran -literally- face-first into Bellamy's chest. He was leaning against a tree -_her_ tree- with his arms crossed tightly over his chest; or at least they were until she ran into them, and he wrapped them lightly around her shoulders. His face was partially hidden in the shadows, but his dark brown eyes sparkled with amusement as he watched Melody stare up at him.

"Holy shit. You scared me! And I'm not drunk, _Bellamy Blake._" She insisted, her words slurring slightly. "I'm just…happy." As if to prove her point, she attempted to wrap her arms around his larger form and snuggle into him, but Bellamy held her at arm's length.

"How much have you had?" He asked, watching Melody curiously as she tried her hardest to get closer to him. _That _was a first.

She was quiet for a few moments. She looked as if she was focusing really hard on something, and Bellamy assumed it was his question. But then she broke off in a fit of giggles, because she really hadn't been thinking about his words; they'd gone over her head again. She was thinking about mac'n'cheese.

"Melody?" Bellamy prompted, raising his eyebrows when failed to reply. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Like six."

"Six _what_?"

"Maybe seven." She shrugged her shoulders, unconcerned.

"Damn it, Melody. I didn't mean…wait." Bellamy paused, his dark eyes narrowing.

"Hmm?" Melody looked up at him, grin wavering slightly when she saw the angry look on his face. "What did I do now?" She whined.

"Where did you get _that_?" He gestured towards her head.

"My hair?" Melody reached up and touched a red lock, honestly surprised and confused by his question. "Bellamy…I was born with it."

"Not your _hair_, Melody." He snapped, his impatience shining through. "The _hat._" His hand lashed out and yanked the hat right off of her head. "It's Fletcher's, right? Why the hell are you wearing _his_ hat?"

"He gave it to me." Melody was pouting now, as she looked at the hat that was dangling between Bellamy's fingers. Now her ears were cold…

"You're not wearing his hat." Bellamy said, determinedly.

With a flick of his wrist he sent the hat flying into the campfire closest to them. Melody cried out and went to lunge for it, but Bellamy grabbed her at the last moment and saved her from tumbling into the fire. All Melody could do was watch with wide eyes as Fletcher's gray hat was quickly consumed by the flames and it began to turn into ash before her very eyes.

Melody reached out and jabbed one finger into his chest, accusingly. "You... you jerk! You can't just do stuff like that."

"I can." Insisted Bellamy. "And I will."

"Why are you being like this?" Melody didn't understand where his sudden attitude had come from. The two of them were currently on good terms.

"Because, Melody. I don't want you wearing his goddamn hat, okay?"

"It's just a hat!" She threw her hands up in exasperation.

"It isn't just a hat! It's _his_ hat." Bellamy said, emphasizing the words as if that was supposed to mean anything to her.

"I know whose hat it is….He gave it to me. My ears were cold. He was being a gentleman." She tried to explain it to him, without much luck.

"Oh, he was being a gentleman, was he?" Bellamy snorted and shook his head. "Open your eyes, sweetheart."

"They are open." She said seriously, blinking in confusion.

"Not literally…never mind." Bellamy shook his head. "He wasn't just lending you his hat, Melody. What do you think people are going to assume, when they see you sitting on his lap and wearing his clothes?"

"I don't know." She said softly. And then his words registered, and she was frowning. "Wait. You saw us by the fire?"

"You weren't exactly being subtle." He snapped.

"Why do you _care_, Bellamy?" Melody was sick of getting scolded when she had done nothing wrong.

"I care because. You're. Not. _His._" Each word was spat from between clenched teeth, as Bellamy glared at her. His grip on Melody's shoulders tightened slightly, but this time he wasn't doing it for her benefit; he was doing it for his own. He was doing it to keep her there, to keep her close to him.

"Then whose am I?" Even half-in-the-bag, Melody had more fight in her than most people.

And true to his nature, Bellamy took her words as a challenge.

Everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. Melody stared up at Bellamy, watching as he began to move towards her. His hands pressed down on her shoulders gently, silently urging her closer to him. And Melody shuffled forward, but her eyes never blinked and her gaze never wavered as she watched him inch his way closer and closer to her, until he was _impossibly _close. Close enough for her to feel his hot breath on her face, and for his wonderful scent -leather and grass- to completely evade her senses.

Melody knew that he was going to kiss her.

Mel wasn't sure how she felt about this situation. It was _Bellamy Blake_ for crying out loud. Bellamy, her friend and sometimes enemy. The boy who had torn off her bracelet and spilled her secrets. The same boy who had protected her at every turn and did his best to befriend her, even when it seemed almost impossible.

She had never thought of him like this before. She had always seen Bellamy as one of her friends, but there was no denying the bond that the two of them shared. Although he was a part of "us" -Melody's group of friends- he was also a part of something bigger than that. It was different than the one she shared with everyone else. Stronger in some ways, and weaker in others. They understood each other. In many ways they _needed _one another. But was this one of those ways? Did they need each other romantically as well?

It would have been _much_ easier to sort this all out if her mind wasn't so fuzzy.

There was no denying the attraction Melody felt to him. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest. Her palms were growing sweaty, and her breath was quickening. In all of her life, Melody had never been kissed. When she had been put into solitary confinement she was only thirteen years old. And since landing on Earth, she hadn't felt even an inkling of desire. Not until now.

_You want him to kiss you, _she realized suddenly. You _want to kiss _him.

And so she tilted her chin towards him slightly, her eyes fluttering shut. Their lips were just inches apart, then centimeters. And then…

"Bellamy?"

Clarke's voice reached them from where she stood, just a few feet away. Both of their heads snapped in her direction, and the moment was lost. Melody stepped away from Bellamy, no longer feeling quite so light-hearted. Bellamy stepped away, too, and turned to look at Clarke with those piercing brown eyes of his.

"What is it, Clarke?" He asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance. Once again he was wearing his angry face and standing in that defensive way, with his arms crossed over his chest and his jaw clenched.

Clarke was kind of speechless. Her blue eyes flickered between the two of them, and for a moment they seemed to widen. Melody _swore_ she saw the good doctor's jaw drop just slightly as she realized that she had just walked in on the two of them about to lock lips. After what felt like an eternity of Clarke just blinking at them stupidly, she seemed to gain her voice.

"Bad time?" Asked Clarke.

"What gave you that idea?" Bellamy asked, with a bitter laugh.

"I'm being serious." Clarke insisted, raising her chin slightly as she put on her game-face.

"You always are, so talk." He demanded.

Clarke looked between the two of them once more and then nodded. "Finn's set up a meeting with the Grounders. I'm leaving to go talk to them."

"Finn…what?" Melody stared at Clarke in surprise. "A _meeting_?"

"Because you think that impaling people on spears is code for "let's be friends"?" Added Bellamy dryly, causing them all to remember Jasper's spearing. "Have you lost your damn mind?"

"I think it might be worth a shot." Said Clarke, who sounded slightly defensive. "I mean, we do have to live with these people."

"But a _meeting_?" Melody repeated her earlier words, still hung up on them.

"They'll probably gut you. String you up as a warning." Predicted Bellamy.

"That's why I'm here. I need you to follow us, be our backup." Clarke admitted, as she looked between Bellamy and Melody. "You two are our best bet."

"Does Finn know about this?" Bellamy questioned, giving Clarke a knowing look.

"Finn doesn't need to know." Clarke said simply.

She began to walk away from them then, leaving Bellamy and Melody in silence. They looked at one another, but they said nothing. They were both thinking about Clarke's words and what they meant. A meeting with the grounders was not an event to be taken lightly. This was going to make or break things. They would either find peace, or they would find themselves at war with the grounders.

"And Bellamy?" Clarke turned back around and looked at him seriously, her blue eyes hard. "Bring guns."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

"_Belllllllllamy._" Whined Melody as she stumbled along behind the oldest -and most demanding- of the Blakes, tripping over her own two feet every inch of the way. "Slow down! I can't keep up with you."

The two of them hadn't been keeping up conversation since Clarke's bold declaration about the supposed meeting with the grounders. Melody had been attempting to talk to Bellamy, but her efforts were futile. He hadn't uttered two words since their almost-kiss in the woods. Hadn't even _acknowledged _the fact that they might currently be locking lips if not for Clarke's interruption. As if the whole event had never occurred, Bellamy had simply begun walking hurriedly towards camp -Melody in tow- with his game face in place once more.

They were walking quickly, determinedly. Bellamy held fast to Melody's sleeve as he practically dragged her through camp, all but ignoring her constant protesting and her endless supply of questions. She tried her best to keep up, but her legs were shorter than his and her mind was fuzzier than his. The Unity Juice was beginning to take its toll, as was clear when looking at Melody's current state of being. Every few steps she either tripped or stumbled, which slowed them down despite Bellamy's best efforts to quickly steady her and continue.

"_Pleaaaaase._" She groaned loudly and attempted to drag her feet, which was no easy task given her current lack of hand-eye coordination.

All it did was succeed in causing her to stumble even more. It didn't even slow down Bellamy, who simply looped his arm around Melody's waist and hauled her quickly to her feet before continuing. He was a man on a mission, but he was purposefully keeping Melody in the dark.

_Why_?

"Stop your whining." Bellamy said shortly, as he finally came to a stop. "You need to close your eyes. And hold your breath."

"Close my eyes? Hold my-?" Melody's question was cut off when she felt his strong hand on the back of her neck.

With one shove, he had pushed her face-first into the water basin.

Icy cold water consumed her entirely, leaving sharp pains across her face and her skull. Melody struggled against Bellamy's hold, but it was no use. He was much stronger than her any given day, and especially when she wasn't on top of her game. She stayed under the water for as long as he saw fit. And when he finally pulled her back up, Melody was coughing and spluttering as she attempted to expel the cold water from her lungs.

"What the hell?" She coughed so hard and for so long that it caused her chest to ache and her stomach to heave unpleasantly.

"Again." He commanded.

And so, once more her head was being pushed down into the cold water. The icy dash of water caused Melody to become more alert somehow. It woke her up in a way that nothing else would have been able to. Suddenly, she could feel every fiber of her being as she shivered and did her best to fight against Bellamy's hold. Her movements were becoming more controlled and less sporadic. The haziness that clouded up her mind began to slowly slip away.

Melody came up for air once more, gasping loudly. Again she coughed and choked as she fought to catch her breath, which seemed nearly impossible. Large water droplets rolled down her face and dripped onto the ground as she bent over, hands splayed across her thighs as she took deep and unsteady breaths. She was _definitely _awake now.

Still, he said, "Again."

The third time was just as unpleasant as the first two times. Melody was expecting the cold now, but that didn't make it any less painful. The cold seeped into her skin and settled there until she felt as if she would never be warm again. The water rushed over her face, in her eyes and her mouth and her nose, and it drenched her hair until every bit of her was dripping wet from the neck up.

"Enough." She gasped out, stumbling backwards and away from Bellamy.

"One more time?" He suggested, almost hopefully as he gave her a wry smile.

"Asshole."

The cold had turned her lips blue, and her teeth began to chatter as she glared up at Bellamy, who was looking pretty smug. She was cold and wet and miserable. Her hair was plastered across her face, dripping water down her forehead and her cheeks. Melody attempted to brush back the stringy, red mass of hair, but it was no use. There was too much of it and her hands were shaking too badly.

"Let me." Said Bellamy, as he moved towards her.

Melody was hesitant to let him touch her again. Nevertheless, she stood still and stared up at him as he began to brush the hair back, out of her eyes. A look of concentration came onto Bellamy's face as he pushed back the hair, doing his best to control the wet locks. His eyes narrowed slightly and the tip of his tongue poked out from between parted lips as he did what little he could to fix her hair.

"Ribbon." Bellamy commanded, holding out his hand.

Melody hastily untied Octavia's red hair ribbon from around her wrist. She handed it to Bellamy and he placed one firm hand on her shoulder, causing her to turn around so that her back was to him. She could feel him gather her hair in his hands as he formed a loose ponytail. Something about his strange confidence and the way his fingers moved so deftly told Melody that this wasn't his first time doing someone's hair. After a few moments of fussing and getting it just right, Bellamy tied the ribbon around her hair and spun Melody around once more, so that she was facing him again.

His brown eyes bore into her own, and Melody desperately wished that she knew what he was thinking. Bellamy Blake was a very, very complex man. Just when she thought she had him figured out, he went and did something that shocked the hell out of her.

_Like when he tried to kiss you. _

"Thank you." She said quietly, dropping her gaze to the ground as a sudden, unfamiliar wave of self-consciousness washed over her. It was strange the effect that his smoldering gaze could have on her now. In an instant everything between the two of them had changed. And now, Melody was seeing things in a whole new light.

Bellamy reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of red hair behind her ear. "You're welcome." His fingers lingered there, pressed against the side of her neck, for a moment or two longer than what was probably necessary.

Something passed between the two of them and Melody shivered; this time it wasn't from the cold. She looked up at him from beneath her lowered lashes and she saw that he was watching her intently, his brown eyes drinking her in and making her feel that uneasy self-consciousness again.

"So…" Melody cleared her throat and turned her head slightly, forcing his hand to fall away from her face. "About this meeting."

"Yeah." Bellamy straightened up slightly and nodded his head. "Clarke's going to need some back-up."

"I assume she meant me and you." She said, perhaps with just the faintest trace of self-satisfaction in her voice. "I mean, between my bow and your gun…we could keep her safe."

"Yeah." Bellamy nodded his agreement once more. His eyes flickered past her suddenly, and for a moment his gaze clouded over, as if he were thinking about something. When he spoke again, he said the last thing Melody wanted to hear. "And we'll bring Jasper."

"Jasper?" Melody's green eyes widened slightly, in both surprise and alarm. "No…no! We can't bring Jasper into the middle of a grounder meeting."

"Why not?" Asked Bellamy, giving her an almost confused look. "He's smart. He took down that grounder in the cave all by himself."

"Because it's _Jasper._" She said the words as if that should be explanation enough. And in Melody's mind, it was.

_Because I need him to stay alive, _said a soft voice in the back of her head. _I need a reason to keep fighting. _

"Jasper can handle himself, Melody." Said Bellamy in what was probably meant to be a reassuring voice. Coming from him, it sounded all sorts of wrong.

"No, _I _can handle myself. _You _can handle yourself. _Clarke _can handle herself….but Jasper's different." Melody said softly, shaking her head. "He's not like us, Bellamy."

"He is." Bellamy insisted. "You don't give him enough credit."

"I don't want him hurt."

"I won't let him get hurt."

Melody looked up at him, still indecisive about whether or not she felt that Jasper was ready to face the grounders head-on. Ultimately, it would be his decision. But she couldn't help worrying about him. What if it was all too much for him to handle? What if he couldn't do what needed to be done? What if something were to happen to him?

There was a sincerity in Bellamy's eyes that Melody rarely saw. It was like a streak of determination buried within those deep, dark depths. When he got that glint in his eye, you knew he was serious. And when Melody saw that look, she knew that Bellamy would either keep Jasper safe or he would die trying.

And somehow, she knew that it was for her.

"Okay." She finally agreed, although she was still a bit reluctant about the whole situation.

"Okay." Bellamy repeated softly.

There it was again. Something between the two of them shifted, and suddenly Melody felt as if she couldn't breathe. It was those damn eyes, it was the way he looked at her. As if everything in the world revolved solely around her; like she was the center of the universe.

How hadn't she noticed the way he looked at her before?

His gaze softened considerably whenever he was looking at Melody. Those cold eyes suddenly seemed a whole lot warmer. And he didn't just look at her; he _studied _her. He watched her carefully and closely, giving her all of his attention. He drank her in -her face, her hair, her eyes, her voice, her smile- until he was sure he would drown, and then he did it a little more, because drowning in Melody Pond sounded like the best way to go. He looked at her like he _wanted_ her, like he would hand her the world on a silver platter if she asked.

And that scared the hell out of Melody.

"Let's go tell him the good news." She suggested, turning away from Bellamy abruptly. The intensity of his stare was beginning to make her uneasy. The electricity in the air that seemed to crackle between the two of them was frightening.

"Good idea." Bellamy said, his tone low and gruff as he crossed both arms over his chest in his signature pose.

The two of them walked side-by-side towards the dimly-lit tent where Raven had spent her night making bullets for the guns that had been brought into camp. Jasper had been beside her for the majority of the night, offering his company and his knowledge on the subject at hand. When Melody and Bellamy walked into the tent, the two of them were standing around the table, a pile of bullets in front of them.

"Jasper," Bellamy ducked into the tent and looked up at Jasper, wasting no time in telling him the 'good news.' "You're coming with me."

"I am?" Asked Jasper, his eyes widening slightly as Bellamy handed him one of the guns.

"You handled yourself well in the cave with the Grounder." Bellamy said simply. He moved forward and stood by Raven, looking down at the bullets.

Jasper ran a hand through his messy hair, looking thoroughly perplexed. "I mean…I hit him in the head." His brown eyes were slightly panicked when he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"You've got this, Jasper." Melody assured him soothingly, as she gave his arm a gentle pat. "I'll be right beside you."

Jasper's gaze was still wide, but he nodded his head and listened to Melody. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, then he nodded again. "I've got this." He repeated, although he didn't really sound so sure. "What have I got, exactly?"

Melody just smiled and shook her head at him, before stepping up to the table with the other two. Bellamy reached for some bullets that were laying in front of them, but he was quickly cut off by Raven.

"If you're planning on shooting anything, you better think twice. I haven't checked those yet." She informed him.

"Give me some bullets that work." He ordered, sounding impatient.

"What do you need them for?" Retorted Raven.

Bellamy hesitated for a moment. "Your boyfriend's being an idiot."

That seemed to be all that Raven needed to hear. She turned away from them and grabbed a few clips that she had already inspected. She pressed them against Bellamy's chest and gave him her no-nonsense look. "I'm coming with you."

"We should get Clarke." Jasper said softly, as he looked around their small group.

Bellamy and Melody were both quiet. An awkwardness hung in the air, and it was almost immediately picked up by Raven and Jasper, who looked like he regretted saying anything in the first place. The whole Raven/Finn/Clarke scenario was still a touchy subject.

"Finn's with Clarke, isn't he?" Raven sounded like she already knew the answer, but she was hoping that they might tell her otherwise.

Bellamy just gave her a long look before he turned and exited the tent without saying a word. Melody hung back, watching Raven hesitantly. The other girl heaved a heavy sigh and slung a bag over her shoulder before following Bellamy out of the tent.

"Hey…are you okay with this?" Melody asked Jasper, now that it was just the two of them in the tent. "You don't _have_ to come with us."

Jasper looked at Melody for a few moments and he seemed to be actually debating whether or not he was going to tag along. Melody _almost_ thought that she might get her own way. She thought he might actually stay behind and allow them to take care of the fighting, if there was to be any. But then he grabbed his cup of Unity Juice and downed the rest of the contents in a single gulp.

"Let's do this."

|oOo|

They trailed behind Clarke and Finn, leaving enough space between the two groups so that Finn would have no idea about the "backup" that Clarke had recruited, but not so much space that they lost the trail.

"I don't trust them." Jasper said, shooting Melody a worried glance as they walked along slowly, keeping their eyes peeled for any sign of danger.

"I trust Clarke." Melody said firmly.

There was no denying that the two girls had been on opposite sides of the spectrum before. They were both strong-willed and stubborn individuals. As of late, things between Melody and Clarke had been good. Ever since Clarke had come back to the camp with those guns, she had been acting different towards Melody. It seemed that Clarke was _finally _ready to forgive and forget. And Melody was more than ready to have her friend back.

"Yeah, but…a _meeting_?" Jasper shook his head slowly. "I don't think this is a good idea."

"We're not here to _think._" Said Bellamy, who was walking a few steps ahead of them. "We're here to kick some grounder ass if shit goes south."

"Or maybe we're here to get our asses kicked by the grounders." Suggested Raven. "We don't know if we can trust them yet. Who's to say they won't have their own back-up?"

"That is _not _going to happen." Melody insisted, giving Raven a sharp look. "We can handle a couple of grounders. We're going to be fine."

They all knew that she wasn't saying that to convince them that they would be alright; she was saying it to convince herself. The worst part about Earth was the fact that _nothing _was certain. Melody didn't know what the outcome was going to be. She didn't know whether or not they were walking blindly into a trap. All she could do was hope that today would go in their favor.

"Relax, sweetheart." Bellamy rolled his eyes at Melody's endless worrying. "No one is going to die today. We're just here as a precaution."

"And last time we were just looking for Octavia." Muttered Jasper. "And the time before that we were just searching for supplies."

"Clarke knows what she's doing." Melody told him, although she was hesitant in doing so.

"Oh yeah…sorry about bringing up Clarke earlier." Jasper looked over at Raven and emitted a nervous little chuckle. "That was awkward."

"Shut up." Raven said, rolling her eyes.

"Both of you shut up." Ordered Bellamy.

He stopped suddenly and knelt down. Everyone else stopped as well, watching him curiously. For a few seconds Bellamy pawed through the dirt and the leaves and the twigs. When he stood up once more, he was holding a handful of Jobi Nuts. Clarke must have been using them to mark her steps.

"Keep your eyes open." He instructed, slipping the handful of nuts into his jacket pocket. "They're not far from here."

They fell silent again as they walked.

Melody was thinking about the meeting with the grounders. The first thing she wanted to know was how the hell Finn had managed to even set one up in the first place. If she had to guess, Melody would say Lincoln. She didn't know how or when the two could have planned this whole thing, but she did know that Lincoln was the only grounder that didn't seem hell-bent on killing all of them.

Part of her worried about the meeting. Although she trusted Clarke's judgment, she also knew that the good doctor would blindly follow Finn to the ends of the Earth. And Finn was the kind of guy who would walk right into the middle of a group of grounders unarmed. He was the type of guy who thought that all battles could be settled with words. Finn liked to give everybody the benefit of the doubt.

Melody just hoped that by doing so, he wasn't sentencing the rest of them to death.

"Stop." Bellamy's voice was quiet as he held out one arm, stopping the rest of them from continuing on. "There they are."

They all turned their attention towards a bridge that was just up ahead. It was large and it was made out of metal, not wood. Judging by the overgrown moss that covered the bridge, Melody would have to guess that it had been made before the war. It was the first man-made creation that she had seen since stepping foot on Earth.

And it was absolutely beautiful.

Standing at one end of it was Clarke and Finn. They were talking quietly, much too quietly for anyone to hear what they were saying. Clarke looked uneasy, but Finn looked determined. They were holding hands, which definitely did not go unnoticed by anyone, including Raven. Surprisingly enough, Octavia stood in the middle of the bridge, pacing back and forth.

"What's Octavia doing here?" Asked Jasper, as they watched her talking with Clarke and Finn.

And then, it became clear.

They heard the sound of footsteps and a few moments later Lincoln appeared on the opposite side of the bridge. When he saw Octavia, he broke out into a jog. And when she saw him, she began to run. The two of them met in the middle of the bridge and embraced, holding one another tightly.

"Oh…" Jasper said softly, dropping his gaze.

"Guess we know how he got away." Said Raven, who wasn't even trying to hide her grin.

Bellamy's head whipped to the side and he stared at Melody. Her green eyes met his and her gaze remained steady, despite the million silent accusations that he was throwing at her. She could see the anger and betrayal that he was feeling as he realized what Octavia and Melody had done. The two of them had gone behind his back and helped the prisoner escape.

And they didn't regret a second of it.

There was the sound of the gun cocking as Bellamy turned suddenly, pointing his rifle at Lincoln. One eye slipped shut as he focused his target on the grounder. Melody stepped forward, but she didn't need to intervene.

"Wait...Look!" Raven said suddenly, causing all of their heads to turn back towards the bridge.

"Is that…?" Jasper's brown gaze widened in surprise and excitement.

"Horses." Breathed Melody, as she stared at the beautiful, majestic creatures.

They had only seen horses in pictures. And the pictures were _nothing _compared to the real thing. The horses were large and they were powerful. Their dark coats glistened in the sunlight, and they tossed their manes proudly against the wind. Each long stride they took was graceful and mesmerizing to watch…Melody fell in love with them immediately.

"Look." Bellamy said, his voice grave. "They're armed."

Melody tore her gaze away from the horses so that she could look at the grounders who rode them. The one in the middle was a tall, dark-haired woman. She sat high on her horse proudly, her chin raised and her eyes trained straight ahead. From the way she carried herself, Melody assumed that she was the leader of the grounders. The men on either side of her looked like they might be guards of some sort. Each carried a bow by their side, and hatchets that were clipped to their belts.

"Yeah…well so are we." She reminded him, gripping her bow tightly as she loaded the arrow and aimed for the guard closest to them.

They watched as the grounders came to a stop in front of their friends. Finn and Clarke went to step forward, but Lincoln reached out and grabbed Finn by the arm. He said something to him in a quiet, serious way. Clarke and Finn looked at one another and exchanged a few words before Clarke stepped away from them and began to walk towards the grounders by herself.

The leader of the grounders slid off of her horse and began to walk towards Clarke. The two of them met in the middle of the bridge. A few short words -presumably greetings- were exchanged, and then Clarke offered her hand to the woman.

She did not accept it.

They began to speak, but they were too far away to be heard by the group in the forest. Melody watched the two of them talk for a few moments, but she was more focused on keeping an eye on the grounders that had hung back. Any sign of attack and she would not hesitate to let her arrow fly.

"Grounder princess looks pissed." Raven said softly.

It was true, the grounder leader did look angry and defensive, even a little hostile. Melody knew that it wouldn't be easy to discuss peace. She knew that there was a lot of damage done, on both sides. Ten of their people had been killed. The 100 had invaded the grounder's territory. Lincoln had been beaten and tortured. Jasper had been speared. But she also knew that if there was anyone who had even the slightest chance of making this happen, it was Clarke.

"Our princess has that effect." Said Bellamy, who knew this firsthand.

Melody couldn't help but to smirk slightly when he said that. Clarke could be stubborn and sometimes she was downright infuriating. But she was smart. She knew just the right things to say, and she knew when to say them. Melody had no doubt about Clarke being the only person in the world that could negotiate peace with the grounders.

"Oh no…" Jasper said suddenly.

"What?" Melody turned her head to look at him, brows furrowing. "What's wrong?"

"Oh no, this is bad." He pulled the rifle up to his face and looked through the scope.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Asked Bellamy, who was scowling.

"There are grounders in the trees."

Melody's heart stopped for a moment and dread completely consumed her. She turned and looked towards the trees, but she couldn't see anything. The grounders wore dark, earthy colors that helped to camouflage them with their surroundings. If they didn't want to be seen, then there was no way they would be.

"Where?" Demanded Bellamy, looking through the gun's scope quickly.

"Are you sure?" Raven looked through her own scope, moving the gun from side to side.

"I don't see anything." Bellamy shook his head, looking worried and frustrated.

Jasper looked through his gun once more, and then he gasped. "They're going to shoot!"

Before anyone could stop him, Jasper was running forward, out into the open.

"Clarke, run!" Jasper shouted, as he began to fire randomly towards the trees, where he claimed to have seen the grounders.

Melody hurried forward, sending her arrows flying. She could see the grounders now, standing in the tallest branches of the trees. She fired arrow after arrow at the grounders that she could see. She watched as her arrow pierced through the chest of one grounder, causing him to fall out of the tree. Jasper continued to fire his gun, killing a few more of their attackers.

She looked to the bridge and saw the grounder princess go for Clarke, knife in hand. Melody shifted her aim, but Bellamy was faster. He shot the grounder in the arm, and she turned to retreat. Clarke wasn't as quick, and she just stood there, looking absolutely horrified as all hell broke loose around her.

Melody suddenly forgot about shooting at the grounders. She watched as Clarke narrowly dodged an arrow, which struck into the ground right beside her. Finn was shouting and running towards Clarke, somehow managing to avoid all of the arrows that the grounders sent towards him. The two of them began to run back towards safety, and Melody watched on, transfixed. It was like she couldn't look away from them. Fear had completely taken over her body.

"Go, go!" Shouted Raven from somewhere behind Melody.

But Melody couldn't go.

She watched, frozen to the spot. Clarke and Finn ran towards the forest unscathed. The majority of the arrows whizzed through the air around them, never making purchase. Octavia and Lincoln were standing on the other end of the bridge, urging Clarke and Finn to hurry. One of the grounders shot an arrow towards Octavia, which caused Melody to cry out. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched the arrow soar through the air, almost in slow motion. It was going to hit Octavia…But then Lincoln was there, stepping in front of her, taking the arrow in his chest.

"Go!" Someone was screaming, but Melody couldn't tell who it was.

_Go, Melody!_, said a small voice in the back of her mind. _You have to go!_

Now that everyone she loved was out of danger, Melody finally seemed to snap out of her little trance. She regained control of her body and turned, running for the forest. Bellamy and Jasper and Raven had already taken off long before, and Melody should have done the same.

She had barely taken a few steps when the arrow struck her.

Pain exploded in Melody's right side. When she looked down, she saw that the arrow had pierced the skin, and it was embedded deep in her side. She stumbled forward a few steps before falling forward, onto her hands and knees. The pain was like nothing she had ever felt before, and it consumed her entirely.

"Oh my god…Oh my god." Melody whispered, wrapping her hand around the shaft of the arrow. When she pulled her hand away, it was warm and sticky.

Melody rolled over, onto her back with a groan. She was all alone now. The fighting had ceased as both the grounders and her people had retreated. No one knew she was here, no one knew that she had been shot.

_Why didn't you run_?

She was stupid. She never should have stopped firing and she never should have stayed out in the open for so long. She had wanted to make sure that Clarke and Finn got back to the forest safely. She had wanted to watch out for them. And in doing so, she had put her own life on the line and now she was going to pay the price.

"Bellamy!" Melody shrieked his name loudly, her voice coming out high-pitched and full of the pain that she felt.

_Bellamy won't leave you here. He won't let you die…he promised._

But sometimes promises got broken. No one could have anticipated things turning out like this. If no one came back for her, Melody would understand. Sometimes you had to sacrifice a few people for the good of the group. She wouldn't want anyone risking their lives for her, anyways. That was her job.

But she really, really didn't want to die…

"_Bellamy_!" She shouted again, as loud as she could. Her voice was thick with emotion, and she could feel the tears streaming down her face.

It just hurt _so much._ She could feel the arrow, lodged deep within her side. She could feel the arrow head scraping against her insides with every shaky breath that she took. Blood coated her entire side, wet and warm as it clung to her skin and her clothing. If she took the arrow out, she was going to bleed to death. If she left it in, the arrowhead was going to do some internal damage.

It was a lose-lose situation.

Things were going fuzzy. The forest began to turn into one large, green blur.

Melody did her best to fight the wave of drowsiness that suddenly consumed her, but it was hard. All she had to do was close her eyes and let the warmth take over. And then, she would be okay. She would be able to sleep and she would no longer feel the pain. And oh, how she wanted the pain to go away….All she had to do was close her eyes.

"Melody? Melody!"

Suddenly a large pair of arms were wrapping themselves around her body. Melody cried out, screaming shrilly as she was picked up and the arrow was jostled. More tears began to form as she writhed in the arms of her savior, screaming for the pain to stop. All she wanted was for the pain to go away. Was that so much to ask?

"It's okay. I've got you. You're going to be alright."

Melody wished that she could thank the mysterious man that had picked her up. She wished that she could do _anything _other than lay in his arms and sob. Nothing could help her now, not even him…Not his strong arms and not his sweet voice and not his delicious scent of grass and leather.

But if dying in Bellamy Blake's arms was the way she got to go out of this world, who was Melody to complain?


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

_Bellamy's Pov_

It all felt like a dream. Or more specifically, a nightmare.

"It's okay. I've got you. You're going to be alright." He said, cradling Melody to his body with as much care as he could manage.

Even though he had only moved her just a little bit, Melody cried out and arched her back, struggling in his arms. She was crying, sobbing actually, and whimpering. Every step caused her pain, and Bellamy could see it etched across every feature of her face. Her brows were furrowed and her lip was curled. She had gone a startling shade of white, and each breath she attempted to draw in was shaky and unstable.

Melody Pond, the most selfless and caring girl that Bellamy had ever known, was dying in his arms.

Why did it have to be her? Why did it have to be _Melody_? She was the glue to everything. She was the one that held them all together when things got rough. Without Melody they would all be lost. _He _would be lost.

She had grown on him so slowly that Bellamy didn't even notice that it was happening. In the beginning, he could hardly tolerate Melody. She was loud and she was defiant and she had a mouth on her that caused an awful lot of trouble. It wasn't until Jasper had gotten speared that Bellamy saw some of Melody's better qualities. She was strong and she was courageous and she was absolutely relentless when she wanted something. And when they had become friends, after Charlotte's death, Bellamy had realized that hating Melody Pond was such a waste.

Melody was the kind of girl that you wanted at your back. Not only was she strong, but she was passionate. She fought for what she thought was right even if she fought alone. And Melody was without a doubt the most loyal person that Bellamy had ever met. She would do absolutely anything for the people she cared about. When Jasper had gotten hurt, Melody was the first one to volunteer to go and find him. When Octavia had gone missing, Melody hadn't even hesitated before joining the search party.

She was fierce, too. Stabbing John Murphy had gained Melody more respect than she would ever know. It took a lot of guts to do something like that. And then she had gone and punched that kid in the face because he had frightened Jasper. Melody was an _animal _when she was pissed off. If Bellamy hadn't stepped in, she would have pummeled that kid to a pulp. But no, Melody had known just the right thing to say that would set him off, so Bellamy had been the one to bust the kid's face up.

He admired the fire that she had deep within her soul.

There were a lot of things about Melody that he admired. He admired the way that she always tried to remain positive, even when it seemed that all the hope in the world was gone. He admired the fact that she stuck to her guns and refused to be swayed. He admired how strong she could be, even when assholes like himself tried to bring her down.

And then there were things that he admired from afar. Things like the lethal look in her eyes whenever she was pissed off at someone, usually him. Like the way her smile lit up her entire face whenever she started talking about something that excited her. The gold flecks that appeared in her eyes whenever the sun hit her face just right. The way she was standing up for him more and more, which brought Bellamy so much joy that it was almost embarrassing.

It was a privilege to be her friend.

It would be an _honor_ to be more than that.

"Bellamy?" Melody whispered softly, her words barely audible. It was obvious that it took every ounce of her strength to speak. And she didn't have an awful lot of it to be wasting.

"Shh." He murmured, looking down at her for a moment. "You don't have to say anything, sweetheart."

"Bellamy, please…" Melody stopped, cut off by her own horrid coughing. She coughed so hard that her face turned purple and she couldn't catch her breath for a long time. "Bellamy…"

"Melody, relax. Take it easy." Urged Bellamy gently. "You're going to hurt yourself."

He was walking quickly now, trying to get back to camp as fast as he possibly could without hurting Melody too badly. She looked so fragile, so _broken_. And it was all his fault. If he had pulled her back behind their cover, or if he had just thought to _grab her_…she wouldn't be hurting like this. She wouldn't be fighting for her life.

"You have to…promise me." She whispered, her green eyes staring up at him intently. Even in her current state she still looked like the determined, stubborn girl that he knew.

"Anything." Bellamy said immediately, not thinking about just how big of a promise that was until the words were already out of his mouth and he could no longer take them back. "Anything you want."

"Take care of them." Her voice was so soft, so weak. "You need to take care of them." Her eyes were watery as she spoke, but Bellamy didn't think that it was because of the pain she was in.

And there she was, the Melody that he had grown to admire.

Even in her current state, Melody's biggest concern was _them. _She wasn't worried about the fact that she had an arrow sticking out of her side. She wasn't concerned about the fact that she was currently struggling for her life. All she wanted was to make sure that her people were going to be taken care of. She loved those delinquents so much; much more than any of them deserved, himself included.

"Don't talk like that, Melody." Bellamy scolded, his voice coming out stronger than he felt. "You're going to be fine. Do you hear me? You're going to be _fine._"

And then she was crying again. Bellamy didn't know if it was because she was in pain, or if she was sad, or maybe even a little scared. He didn't know what to say and he had no idea how he was supposed to comfort her. The only person he'd ever had to comfort before was Octavia, and she'd hardly ever cried as a child.

"Hey, chin up." Bellamy advised, gently tilting her chin upwards so that she was looking at him. Her green eyes were swimming with tears and her lower lip began to tremble. "Clarke is going to fix you up. We're almost to camp."

"Don't let me die, Bel." She pleaded, shaking her head softly. "Please don't let me die."

And then, her eyes fluttered shut and she was unconscious.

Melody's request seemed to awaken something inside of Bellamy. He straightened up slightly and put on his game-face, which was the face he made whenever he was about to piss someone off. They were only five minutes away from camp if he ran as fast as his little legs could carry him. He was not, under any circumstances, going to let Melody Pond die. Not on his watch.

"Hold on, Melody."

He shifted her slightly, glad that she could no longer feel the pain, so that she was slung over his back. Both of her legs were wrapped around his arm, while the majority of her body rested on his right shoulder. Her body curved around his neck slightly so that her torso and head rested against his left shoulder. One of Bellamy's arms came up between her legs and wrapped itself around her thigh. The other pressed lightly against her shoulder blades, holding Melody's body steady against his back and shoulders.

Bellamy ran as fast as he could, but it was no easy task. Melody wasn't really that heavy, but trying to carry her and run at the same time was awkward. Plus he had to take extra precaution to make sure that he didn't jostle her too badly. The arrow was still sticking out of her side and he did his best to avoid messing with it.

The run to camp only took him a matter of minutes. When he got there, he was breathless and sweaty. His heart was racing wildly, partly because of the run, but mainly because of the fear he felt for the girl on his back. She was still unconscious, and Bellamy didn't know if that was a good sign or a bad one.

"Clarke!" Bellamy shouted, his voice hoarse. "We need Clarke."

Everyone in the vicinity turned to look at him when he began to shout. No one had ever heard Bellamy sound so anxious and worried. For a few moments they all just stared at him, scared and confused. Several people gasped and a few cried out when they saw who he was carrying, and what was wrong with her. All at once, there was countless voices screaming for Clarke.

The campers moved aside, creating a path for him. Bellamy marched towards the dropship, still holding onto Melody tightly. He kept his head forward and his eyes focused on the dropship. His only goal was to get Melody in there, to get her to Clarke. Nothing else mattered to him in that moment.

When Bellamy entered the ship, Clarke and Finn were standing around one of the tables. They seemed to be talking about something important, but Bellamy didn't hear what they were saying. He wasn't even concerned with their problems at the moment.

His problem was bigger.

"Bellamy, what's…?" Clarke trailed off when she saw Melody slung across his shoulders. Her blue eyes grew wide and she moved forward immediately. Her fingers brushed against Melody's wound, getting coated with blood. "She got hit."

"No shit, Sherlock." Snapped Bellamy, shooting a glare in Clarke's direction. "Did you not hear the entire camp shouting your goddamn name?"

"No, I did…I was just about to go out." She insisted, looking a little guilty.

"Oh you were? Well isn't that so _great _of you, Clarke. If I wasn't currently holding onto our dying friend, I might applaud." He spat, his glare never wavering.

"Bellamy, I'm sorry. Let's just talk about this. Tell me what happened." Urged Clarke seriously, giving him an almost stern look. "Start from the beginning."

"What does it matter _how_ this happened? Just fix her!"

"Calm down!" Ordered Clarke, her voice firm and calm. It was her doctor voice, the one she got whenever she was faced with a crisis. It was actually really professional, and Bellamy might have appreciated her calmness another day.

But right now it was just pissing him off.

"Calm down? _Calm down_?" Bellamy was shouting now. He had moved closer to Clarke so that the two of them were practically nose to nose. "She's fucking _dying,_ Clarke!"

"Whoa, Bellamy." Finn came up, stepping between the two of them with his palms raised, to show that he meant no harm. "You need to relax, man."

Bellamy was outraged. He was _beyond _outraged. Here was Melody with a goddamn arrow sticking out of her body, and all they cared about was making sure he was calm?

"Fix her." Bellamy said, his voice dropping dangerously low. "_Now._"

Clarke nodded her head and moved towards the table. She cleared it quickly and then gave it a gentle pat. "Lay her down and let me see what I can do."

Bellamy moved forward and eased Melody down onto the table. She looked so pale and lifeless laying there, like some sort of statue. The only thing about her that suggested she was even alive was the irregular rising and falling of her chest as she took in a few ragged breaths here and there.

As Clarke examined Melody, he stood by the table and watched with a grave face. He had no idea what to expect when it came to all of this medical stuff, so he just remained silent and prayed that Clarke knew what she was doing. If she could patch up Jasper and Finn, then she could fix Melody…right?

"The arrow didn't go all the way through." Muttered Clarke, as she gently fingered the arrow's bloody shaft.

"What does that mean?" Asked Bellamy anxiously, as he watched her run her fingers along the arrow. "That's good, right? You can just pull it out, then."

"No." Clarke shook her head sadly and then sighed. "It means that I'm going to have to push the arrow the rest of the way until it comes out the other side."

"Push it through? You can't do that." Bellamy said, surprised by her suggestion.

"If I try to pull it out now, the arrow head is going to shred her insides."

"If you push it through, you might make things worse!" He said, shaking his head firmly. "I'm not going to let you cause even more pain for her, Clarke."

"We don't have a choice, Bellamy!" Insisted Clarke. "If I don't do this, then she _is_ going to die. It's the only way I might be able to save her."

"Clarke, you can't-"

"Oh my god…" No one had noticed Octavia until they heard her hushed whisper.

Octavia stood by the door, staring at the table where they had lain Melody. One hand was pressed over her mouth and the other was clenched into a fist at her side. Tears were swimming in her hazel eyes as she slowly moved towards them.

"O, get out." Bellamy ordered as he took a few steps towards his sister, hoping to turn her around so that she didn't have to see Melody in her current state. "You don't need to see this."

"Bellamy, get out of my way." Octavia said. Her voice was soft but it was also full of barely contained anger. "I am not leaving."

Bellamy swallowed thickly and then stepped aside, moving to stand in his original spot at Melody's bedside.

He watched as Octavia crossed the dropship and came to stand in front of the table. For a few moments she just stared down at Melody and said nothing. Bellamy could see the hurt in his sister's eyes and he knew that this was affecting her more than she let on. It was no secret that the two girls had become extremely close over the last few months. The bond that had formed between them was deeper than most because of their situation. And now, Octavia was forced to stand by and watch her best friend fight for her life.

"I need to do it. Now." Clarke said quietly. "If the arrow stays inside of her it could do more damage. It could be poisoned. And if it gets into her bloodstream…" She trailed off, because they all knew what would happen if there was poison in Melody's blood.

She would die.

"You're not pulling it through the other side." Bellamy said once more. "There has to be another way to get the damn thing out."

"There isn't." Clarke shook her head and moved forward, gripping the arrow that was protruding from Melody's side. "It has to be done."

"Clarke." Bellamy's voice was little more than a growl as he watched her. His brown gaze narrowed dangerously and he clenched his jaw. "Don't."

"I'm sorry."

She took a deep breath and then pushed on the arrow with all of her might. Bellamy cried out and lurched forward, but he didn't get very far. Finn came up behind him and wrapped his arms tightly around Bellamy's chest, hauling him backwards and away from the table. Bellamy thrashed from side to side and tried to break Finn's hold, but it was no use.

"Damn it, Finn. Let me go!" Bellamy tried to fight his way back to Melody's side, but Finn was a lot stronger than he looked.

"I'm sorry." Clarke repeated with a grimace. She gripped the arrow tightly and continued to force it through Melody's body until they all heard a sickening _pop_.

And all Bellamy could do was watch with a horror-stricken expression on his face as those beautiful green eyes snapped open, and she began to howl.

|oOo|

_Jasper's Pov_

He was awake the moment Finn touched his shoulder.

Jasper flew up, head instinctively whipping from side to side as he searched for any immediate danger. His mind was still clouded over with sleep, but he somehow knew that something was wrong. The feeling of dread had settled over the camp and Jasper was picking up on the bad vibe before he even opened his eyes.

"Jasper, calm down!" Finn said quietly, as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's just me. It's Finn."

"Finn?" He asked, blinking up at him a few times. His brows furrowed in confusion and he ran a hand through his messy hair. "What are you doing here?"

Finn had never found a reason to visit Jasper's tent before. And while Jasper wouldn't object to this normally, he had a feeling that he wasn't here for a social call. Not in the middle of the night when he had _two_ women that were dying for his affection.

"Jasper, I'm here because of Melody." Finn's voice was grave and he gave Jasper a look that made his blood run cold. "She's been hurt."

"Hurt?" He looked up at Finn, his brain still foggy. "Hurt how?"

"She was shot." Finn waited for a few moments as he watched Jasper take in the bad news that he had offered to deliver. "It happened while we were at the meeting with the grounders. When we left, Melody stayed behind."

Finn had lost him after _'she's been shot.' _

The words were like a dash of icy water and they had succeeded in waking him up. Jasper threw back the blankets and stumbled out of bed, tripping over his own two feet as he did so. The only thought on his mind was Melody. He needed to go to her, to comfort her, to make sure that she was going to be alright. He needed to help her, to stand by her side like she had done whenever he was hurt.

"Stop, Jasper." Finn reached out and helped to steady him when he stumbled. "Listen to me. You need to slow down and you need to be prepared."

"Prepared for _what_?" Jasper's brown eyes grew wide as he looked over at Finn, whose grim expression was doing nothing to calm his frazzled nerves. "What's going on?"

"The arrow was shot into her side, but it didn't go all the way through. It still had a few inches until it broke the skin on the other side. And Clarke couldn't pull it back out. There were some…complications."

"Complications?" He echoed, blinking rapidly. "What does that mean?"

"Clarke had to get the arrow out." Explained Finn. "It wasn't easy and it wasn't pleasant. She had to push it all the way through Melody's side."

"Through…like through her whole entire body?" Asked Jasper, eyes wide. "Her ribs and her stomach and everything?"

"No, Jasper." Finn sighed, sounding slightly impatient. "Melody wasn't facing the shooter and he shot her from up in the trees. It went through her side diagonally."

"Okay. Okay, yeah. That doesn't sound _too _bad." Jasper said, nodding his head as he finally understood what Finn was trying to describe to him.

"It _is_ bad." Insisted Finn, doing his best to make sure that he got the point across. "Clarke doesn't think the arrow hit anything major because of where it entered her body. But there's a lot of blood and Clarke doesn't have all the supplies she needs to treat the wound properly."

"Is she going to be okay?" He asked.

"It's too early to tell what's going to happen." Finn said, shaking her head sadly. "Clarke's about to take the arrow out so she can try to clean the wound."

"I have to see her."

Right now he didn't care about how she had gotten shot, or where she had gotten shot, or why he was _just _finding out about the whole ordeal. None of that stuff mattered in the grand scheme of things. All he cared about was going and seeing Melody.

"Yeah. Just don't freak out when you see her, Jasper. You need to stay calm. Freaking out is only going to make things harder on Melody."

"Got it."

Assuming that Finn could see himself out, Jasper exited the tent and took off towards the dropship at a run. He was anxious and worried and scared all at the same time. His palms were sweaty and his heart was thumping so hard that it felt like his chest might explode. The way Finn made it sound, he figured Melody was in rough shape.

Jasper could remember his own run-in with the grounders. He was still haunted by the memory of being stabbed through the chest and then dragged across the forest to be strung up as live bait. It hadn't been pleasant and for a long time he wasn't quite sure whether or not he was going to make it out alive. But he _did. _Somehow Clarke had been able to nurse him back to health when he was on the brink of death.

And if she could do it for him, then she could do it for Melody.

The sound of screaming reached Jasper's ears as soon as he got within a few feet of the dropship. He crossed the rest of the distance in record time and was standing in front of the dropship within a matter of _moments_. Heart pounding, Jasper pushed past the curtain that served as the dropship's make-shift door and stepped fully into the room.

And then his heart shattered all but shattered.

Melody was laying on the table, sobbing now, as Clarke pulled one half of the arrow out of her body. The wood was slick with Melody's blood and it easily slid out of her side, putting up no resistance. The sight of the wood begin removed from the wound caused Jasper's stomach to tie itself into knots. So clearly he could remember the sickening feeling of something moving around _inside of him_ when the spear had been removed from his chest. It was not an experience that he wanted to re-live.

"Hold her _still_, Bellamy." Instructed Clarke as she pressed a wadded up tee-shirt against Melody's wound to stop the flow of blood.

"Easier said than done, Clarke." Bit out Bellamy as he ground his teeth together. One of his hands was pressed against Melody's stomach and the other held her down at the shoulders.

Melody screamed and whimpered and writhed on the table as the pain became too much. It broke Jasper's heart to see Melody hurting like this. He had only seen her cry one time since they got to Earth, and that was night that Bellamy had decided to share a secret that wasn't his to share. Jasper could have gone his whole life without seeing Melody like this. A girl like her should _never_ have to go through something as horrible as this. Once again he found himself thinking that Melody Pond was just too good for this world.

"I can help." Jasper said as he stepped closer to the table, making his presence known.

"Great. Moral support has arrived." Clarke beckoned Jasper forward and he happily obliged.

Jasper stood near Melody's head and looked down at her. She didn't even seem to notice he was there. Her eyes were screwed shut and she was biting her lip so hard that she had broken the skin and it was now bleeding. Both of her hands were clenched into fists at her side, gripping the material of the blanket that she was laying on.

"Say something." Bellamy said, his voice sounding like he was on the urge of begging. "Make her feel better."

"I don't know if I can." Jasper mumbled. He brought his eyes up to meet Bellamy's, and he saw the raw emotion that was reflected in the other's gaze. If Jasper didn't do something to end Melody's pain soon, Bellamy was going to end him.

"Just _try._" Insisted Bellamy. His gaze dropped down to Melody again, who was still fighting him tooth-and-nail as she tried to break free of his ironclad grip. "It might help."

"Uh, alright…"

Jasper reached down and began to brush the hair out of Melody's face. He had never been that great at comforting people, but he knew that he had to give it a try. So he tucked the stray hairs behind her ears and began to talk to her. "Hey, Mellie. How are you feeling?"

There was a few moments of silence, and then she spoke.

"Like I got shot." Groaned Melody, as her eyes fluttered open. "Or didn't you notice?"

Jasper laughed, surprised at Melody's response. He hadn't expected her to say anything back to him let alone something so _typical. _Even though she was hurt and she was weak, nothing could stop Melody from mouthing off.

"I noticed." He assured her, with a small nod. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." She gasped out, back arching as Clarke began to remove the other half of the arrow. "You're not the one that shot me."

"Don't think about it." Advised Jasper. He reached down and gripped her hand tightly, so that it would give her something else to focus on. "Just talk to me, Mel."

"About what?" She whispered, body relaxing ever so slightly when the arrow was removed.

"Anything. Anything you can think of." Jasper urged, giving her a small smile that he hoped was convincing. "I'm all ears."

"Can't I just think about how bad this hurts right now?"

"No, think about something better. Like Monty wearing women's underwear."

"What?" Her eyes grew wide and she blinked up at him a few times.

"You heard me." Jasper said, laughing to himself. "Monty in a thong. Think of how badly that would scar us. Probably for life."

"Why do you say shit like that?" Whispered Melody, giving him a look that suggested she was highly concerned about his mental health. "Now I'm going to have nightmares."

"You know you love it." He teased, squeezing her hand gently.

"I love _you_." Melody said softly, her voice shaking slightly as she looked up at Jasper with those big, green eyes that seemed to touch him somewhere deep inside of his soul. "I really love you, Jasper."

"Love you too, Mel." He assured her. This time, his smile was genuine. "Always have, always will."

Melody returned the smile for just a fraction of a second before her eyes fluttered shut once more and she was out like a light. As if that was all she needed to hear, and now she could sleep peacefully.

Jasper breathed out a sigh of relief, glad that she didn't have to feel the pain anymore. He knew from experience that the period of time spent in the dark was much better than the time spent awake. He hated the thought of Melody having to endure so much pain when she caused the rest of them so much joy. Just her smile or her laugh was enough to lift the spirits of everyone around her.

He doubted Melody Pond would ever know how truly and wholly she was loved.

"Thank you." Bellamy said quietly, as he watched Melody sleep once more. His brown eyes were filled with concern for the girl on the operating table.

_Since when is _that _a thing_?

Jasper watched Bellamy as he stared down at Mels, and a frown found its way onto his face. For a moment he felt almost jealous of the way Bellamy was tending to Melody's every need. The way he just swooped in and played superhero with a damsel in distress that was not _his_ to save. If anyone should be by Melody's side, it was him. Him and Monty.

And then Jasper realized how unreasonable that was.

Melody had touched the lives of everyone around her. They had been won over by her quick wit, her smart mouth, and her fiery temper. They had fallen in love with her kind eyes, her gentle smile, and her ability to shed light on even the darkest of times. She had somehow managed to worm her way into _Bellamy Blake's_ heart, of all people. If anyone deserved to be saved, it was her.

"Don't thank me until she's better." Said Jasper, as he lowered himself down onto his knees by Melody's side. He was absolutely content to sit here for as long as it took. Nothing could pry him away from her now.

Jasper watched her, a girl who meant so much to him, as she lay on the table and fought for her life. How crazy it was that during their first few days on earth they had been in the same situation, only with their positions reversed. And Melody had stayed by his side through every minute of his recovery. She had soothed him and protected him and helped him throughout the entire process, even though she had barely known him.

And now, Jasper was determined to do the same.

"Think she'll make it?" Bellamy asked quietly, after a few minutes of silence had passed. It was just the two of them now, because Clarke had left the dropship to get more supplies.

"I _know_ she'll make it." Jasper replied, giving the hand that he held a gentle squeeze before he pressed his lips against her ice-cold skin.

"How?" Questioned Bellamy, who looked like he had lost what little hope he might have had when he brought her in. Their so-called fearless king watched Melody intently, and for the first time since Jasper had known him, Bellamy looked scared. And lost. And _weak. _

Damn him for that. Damn Bellamy Blake for giving up on Melody when she had _never _given up on him.

He didn't expect Bellamy to understand what he was about to say, because he hadn't been with them that day in the forest. He hadn't been there to understand the meaning behind these words, and he didn't realize how important the phrase had become to Melody. But Jasper knew. And in a time like this, these words were how their faith was restored.

"Because she is Apache." He whispered softly, looking down at Melody as he uttered her catch-phrase, the words that had restored his -and countless others'- hope so many times before.

And what did it even mean? He'd shouted it once, a victory cry. He hadn't meant anything by it, really. It was Melody who had coined the phrase and given the words their true meaning. They were _Apache. _They were like the Native Americans who had once roamed this strange world, scavenging and hunting and doing everything they could just to survive another day. They didn't have a lot, but they had enough. They had _each other. _

"What the hell does that even mean?" Bellamy gave Jasper a confused and slightly frustrated look as the foreign words failed to register any sort of meaning.

"Ask her when she wakes up." Said Jasper, with a small smile.

And he was thoroughly convinced that she _would_ wake up.

|oOo|

_Octavia's Pov_

"Lincoln?"

Octavia hurried down the all-too familiar caverns that made up the interior of Lincoln's underground home. Her fingers trailed along the smooth walls as she ran, her heavy footsteps echoing loudly throughout the many passageways. Every so often a torch hung on the wall, lighting up the otherwise dimly-lit path for her. She didn't need the light, though, because she had long ago memorized every inch of this place.

She passed countless rooms as she moved deeper into the house, but each one was as dark and empty as the last. It was hard for her not to worry about Lincoln at a time like this. The last time she had seen him, he'd had an arrow sticking out of his chest. An arrow shot by his own people. And arrow that was meant for_ her_.

As much as Octavia hadn't wanted to leave him behind, she couldn't stay with him. He was a grounder and she was a sky person. Their people were in the middle of some sort of war now, and there was no way to achieve peace. The only time Octavia could see Lincoln was when she snuck away, as she had done while everyone was wrapped up in taking care of Melody.

_He has to be around here somewhere, _thought Octavia as she passed yet _another _empty room with no sign of Lincoln.

"Lincoln?" She called out to him again, cupping both hands over her mouth so that her voice would carry throughout the house. Octavia paused for a moment, tilting her head slightly to the side as she listened for a reply.

"Octavia? Where are you?" His voice was faint, but growing closer with every word.

Relief hit her like a ton of bricks.

Octavia continued on, towards the sound of his voice. She was both relieved and anxious at the same time. Relieved to know that he was okay, but anxious because she knew that by being here she was breaking all the rules, and so was he. And while Octavia didn't mind facing whatever consequences Clarke and her brother threw her way, she knew that Lincoln's consequences might be a little more dire if they were to get caught.

A few seconds after she heard Lincoln's voice Octavia saw him coming down the corridor at a steady jog. She picked up her pace slightly, wanting nothing more than to be near him, to feel his arms around her. Right now he was the only person on the face of the Earth that could comfort Octavia.

Something about Lincoln had called to Octavia from the very beginning, even before he had saved her life. Lincoln wasn't like the other grounders. Whereas they sought to kill the sky people, he had decided to help one. When he had found Octavia with a broken leg he had taken her back to his home and he had mended it. And then, when she had been running through the woods in an attempt to escape, he could have let her die but he saved her from being killed by the other grounders.

Even after he had been beaten and tortured by her people, Lincoln still didn't resent Octavia. He'd given them the antidote to keep her from dying. He had trusted her enough to reveal the fact that he spoke English. He had shared his name with her. He had tried to keep her from helping him escape so that she wouldn't face the consequences.

Lincoln was special and nothing anyone said was going to convince Octavia otherwise.

"Thank God you're alright." Said Octavia, as she closed the remaining distance between the two of them.

Just as she had hoped he would do, Lincoln reached out and drew Octavia into his arms. She came willingly and laid her head against his chest, listening to the gentle rhythm of his heart. It always seemed to soothe her. He rested his chin against the top of her head and closed his eyes, because everything about Octavia put him at ease.

And that's how the two of them stood for a long while, just enjoying each other's company.

It wasn't until Octavia remembered her purpose for going there that she finally pulled away from him and took a few steps back. Lincoln looked down at Octavia curiously, unnerved by her all too sudden departure. When she drew back, he loosened his grip so that he was holding her at arm's length.

"What is it?" Asked Lincoln, his voice laced with concern as his dark eyes looked her over from head to toe, searching for any sign of an injury. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." Octavia was genuinely touched by his concern. No one, aside from her brother, had ever been so concerned about her well-being before.

"Then what is it?" Lincoln repeated his first question once more. He still wasn't convinced that Octavia was alright, even though she showed no signs of a physical injury. There was something in her eyes, something dark and heavy. She was troubled, but he didn't know why.

"I came here to ask you for a favor." Admitted Octavia finally. "It's about my friend, Melody. Do you remember her?"

"Yes." Lincoln nodded his head. "The Little Red Warrior."

"Yeah. She's the one that helped me get you out of camp." Octavia reminded him, just in case he had forgotten. "She helped me save you."

"I remember, Octavia." Insisted Lincoln, with a small smile. "She was there when your people began to question me, remember? She's the one who stood up for me when no one else would."

"And now she's in trouble."

Octavia thought about Melody and her heart began to ache. She had seen Melody laying on that operating table, looking as if she were on her last breath. She had seen her struggle to breathe as she fought for her life. She had watched as the arrow was shoved through her body and she had seen Melody's crimson blood pool around her limp body. And the _screaming._ That had been the worst part for Octavia.

It was no secret that the two girls hadn't always been so close. In the beginning, Melody had openly despised Octavia for reasons that were still unknown. But things had changed when Jasper had gotten sick and when Atom had died. The two girls had been there for one another, offering comfort and support. They had gone from enemies to friends in a matter of moments. It was funny how Earth changed them, how it put things into perspective.

From that moment on they had been best friends. Octavia wasn't quite sure what she would do without Melody. How could she sleep at night knowing that the bed next to hers was empty? Who would be there to stand by her side when things got tough? And what would happen if she never again felt Melody's comforting embrace just when she needed it most? Melody wasn't just Octavia's _friend_, she was her sister and there was no one on Earth who could mean as much to her.

Lincoln must have realized how dire the situation was and how much it was affecting Octavia because he said, "Whatever your Melody needs, I'll do my best to help."

Octavia was relieved that Lincoln had agreed to help so easily. She thought that he might be a bit harder to convince given his natural dislike for her people. Then again, Melody was different than the majority of their people. She had this way about her that just seemed to draw people in. Hating Melody was like hating puppies.

And because she had helped him, Lincoln would help her.

"She was there today, during the meeting." Said Octavia.

"She was?" Lincoln frowned slightly and his brows furrowed. "I didn't see her."

"Clarke asked my brother and Melody to be her back-up. They were at the edge of the forest, waiting for something to happen."

"And something did happen." Lincoln said, frowning at the memory.

"Yes. And Melody got caught in the crossfire."

Lincoln's scowl intensified at this bit of information. He retracted his arms from around Octavia's shoulders and instead crossed them over his chest. It was obvious that Octavia's news displeased him more than she had originally thought it would.

"How bad is it?" Asked Lincoln gravely as he looked down at Octavia with a frown. "Is she going to survive?"

"It's not that bad. All Clarke has to do is get the arrow out of her side and then stitch up the wound. If there's no internal damage and no infection then I think she'll make it… if you help me."

"I'm no healer, Octavia." Said Lincoln, with a shake of his head. "Please do not worry about what you cannot change. I can't help you save her life if she is meant to die."

"Don't _worry_? It's Melody." She moved closer to him, so that the two of them were nose-to-nose once more. "You are the only chance I have of saving her. I can't let Melody die. I _won't _let her die. If you're not going to help me, then I'll help myself."

Octavia was not to be trifled with when it came to the lives of those she cared about. She knew that the grounders were a strange bunch and she knew that they had many beliefs that she could never understand. But not helping someone who was dying? That wasn't just stupid, it was cruel. Screw fate or destiny or whatever the hell his people believed in. She _could_ save Melody and she _would._

There was a few moments of silence and then,

"Tell me what you need, Octavia."

"The antidote to whatever poison was on the arrow. It was the same type of arrow that hit you, so I know you must have it somewhere." Commented Octavia as she looked at Lincoln's chest, which was now sans arrow and healing just fine.

"I do." Agreed Lincoln.

"And you'll give it to me?" She asked, doubtfully. ""Even though I'm worrying about something I might not be able to change?"

"Of course. If anyone can change fate, it's you Octavia Blake. " Lincoln smiled and gestured towards the corridor that he had just come from. "Follow me."

|oOo|

_Clarke's Pov_

Clarke hadn't meant to cut her off.

When she had first heard about Melody's reason for being in the skybox, she'd been shocked. It was so hard to imagine Melody killing a man. And it was even harder to come to terms with that face that she'd befriended a girl who was, technically, a murderer. A girl who represented everything that Clarke was against.

At the time, Clarke hadn't been able to see her own stupidity. She hadn't realized that Melody was doing what she had to do. She didn't understand that the people they'd been on the Ark wasn't who they had to be on Earth. All Clarke had felt was betrayal and anger towards the girl who was supposed to be her friend. She was rash and she said a lot of things that she didn't mean. She accepted Melody's friendship only when it was convenient for her to do so. Clarke used Melody to get what she wanted because she _knew_ that Melody was the type of girl who would always be the first to offer her help.

Still, Melody hadn't given up on Clarke. When Clarke had lashed out at her, Melody had accepted it. She hadn't put up a fight nor did she retaliate. And when Clarke had given her the cold shoulder, Melody had made it clear that Clarke was in the wrong, but she was still willing to offer her friendship if Clarke was smart enough to accept. When Finn was dying Melody had been there to help with whatever she could. And when Bellamy had brought the grounder back to camp, Melody was the one that Clarke sent up to diffuse the situation. Time and time again she let Melody Pond go unappreciated.

And now the girl was dying before Clarke had a chance to fix things.

"Roll her onto her side!" Clarke ordered as she grabbed Melody's convulsing body and forced the girl off of her back. "If she stays on her back she'll choke."

"Clarke, what's happening?" Asked Bellamy as he helped her move Melody into the proper position. "What's wrong with her?"

Melody was seizing, much like Finn had when he'd been struck by the grounder's hatchet. Thick, white foam dribbled out of her mouth and landed on the ground. Melody was gasping and choking as her body tried to expel the sickness from its system, but to no avail.

"Poison." Clarke guessed, looking up at Bellamy worriedly. "We don't have an antidote, Bellamy. She'll die before we even have a chance to look for one."

"The hell she will." Said Octavia, who returned to the dropship with a tin container in her hand. She held it up and rattled it, causing the sound of glass clinking to echo in their ears. "I've got the antidote."

"How?" Bellamy looked at her in surprise, but then his brown eyes narrowed when he realized there was only one way Octavia could have attained the medicine they needed. "You went and saw the grounder again."

"I got us the antidote."

"You could have been killed."

"Melody's life was on the line!"

Clarke was uninterested in the sibling spat about to unfold. All she cared about was getting the medicine into Melody's system. "Give it to me." She said, holding her hand out towards Octavia.

The younger Blake handed over the container with no fuss. "It's got the antidote and a poultice. If anything is going to save her, it's this."

Clarke had to agree.

She uncapped the antidote and brought it to Melody's lips. The small vial of red liquid quickly emptied as Clarke poured it into the other girl's mouth. She recognized the antidote as being the same one that she had used on both Finn and Octavia. It seemed that the grounders dipped their arrows in it to make sure that their enemies died even if they made it off of the battlefield.

_That's clever_, thought Clarke. _We need to figure out how to replicate their poisons and antidotes. We need to even the playing field. _

She tossed the bottle aside and then grabbed the poultice, which she knew would do wonders for the healing process. It looked like the kind of poultice that had been used on Jasper. She wasn't sure which plants it came from, but that was something else she would need to look into. If they were going to survive, they had to start using their resources to the fullest.

Clarke applied the poultice to Melody's side slowly, careful to make sure that she covered the wound properly. The poultice would hold just as well as stitches would, only this option was much more natural. Hopefully the poultice would stop the bleeding and help the wound to heal naturally before Clarke had to step in and finish the job.

She stepped back, pleased with her work and grateful that Octavia had been able to find the required medication.

"Well?" Jasper looked up at Clarke with wide eyes. He was sitting beside Melody once more, holding tightly to her hand. "Is she going to be okay now?"

Clarke nodded her head and let out a shaky, relieved laugh. "I think she's going to make it." Her gaze shifted towards where Octavia stood. "You saved her life."

"She would have done the same for me." Octavia said, watching as Melody continued to lay on the table, unconscious. Even though Clarke had just applied the antidote, Octavia swore that Melody looked better already.

"So what do we do now?" Asked Bellamy, as he stood in the doorway, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"And now," Said Clarke as she leaned back against the wall, eyes watching Melody's breathing as it slowly began to stabilize. "We wait."


	23. Chapter 23

_Tears for 150 followers and counting. I didn't think that so many people would go for this story, but I'm so glad to be able to watch all of you fall in love with Bellamy and Melody just like I have. Sorrynotsorry for the painfully slow burn, but there __**will**__ be a second book! The end of season one will end the first book, and then I'll begin a second book to follow our precious little babies throughout season two. But more on that later! _

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

It's always the same dream.

She sits alone on her bed and stares at the door, listening to the sound of approaching footsteps that are out of place. She knows that they shouldn't be there because the best part about solitary confinement has always been the silence. The worst part has always been the loneliness. But neither affects Melody as she sits there, eyes wide and unblinking as she waits for the inevitable.

The door slides open and he walks in. He shouldn't be here, but is. And he looks just like she remembers. His hair is dark and cut short, controlled. That's how he likes everything in his life to be. _Controlled._ It's how he likes his hair, it's how he likes women, it's how he likes his children, it's how he likes his work, it's how he likes his patients, it's how he likes his Ark, and it's how he likes himself.

_Controlled._

It's the eyes that really get her. Those all-too familiar eyes with so much emotion hidden within their vibrant blue depths. Eyes that had once looked upon her with nothing but love and adoration now reflect disappointment. Disappointment and anger and betrayal are shining in his gaze, so vivid that it shakes Melody to her very core.

"I'm sorry." She whispers, looking down towards where her folded hands reside in her lap. She feels like a naughty child who's been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"You're sorry?" His voice is calm; too calm. It's soft and it's gentle and it's so damn _soothing _that it gives her the chills. "You're _sorry_?"

"Yes." Melody nods rapidly, not lifting her shame-filled gaze. She can't stand seeing the disappointment in his eyes. She's never been able to handle it. "I'm sorry for what I did to you. I'm so sorry."

And she is sorry. She knows she shouldn't be sorry, not after the unspeakable thing that he had done to her, but she is. Guilt burns somewhere deep inside, threatening to consume her. Deep down she knows that what she did was wrong. She _knows_ it, but she can't take it back. She'll never be able to take it back.

She's a murderer.

"You killed me, Melody." Jason says, watching her intently, his gaze never wavering. "You slit my throat and you bathed in my blood. You didn't regret it for one single second, did you? _Did you?_"

By now he's yelling and she's never been able to tolerate his yelling. Tears quickly form in her eyes as she shakes her head, scared but unwilling to lie to him. She at least owes him the truth if nothing else.

"That's what I thought. You know why you didn't regret it, Melody? Because you're an ungrateful little bitch. You're _selfish._ Did you even stop to think about how this was going to affect everyone else? The sick patients that needed my help? The family that I had on this Ark? Your poor, sweet _mother_?"

Melody is still shaking her head, sobs wracking her body as she listens to him go on and on. And she doesn't object, because there is nothing to say. Everything that Jason tells her is absolutely true. Melody hadn't thought about how her actions were going to affect everyone else. She _was _ungrateful and she _was _selfish

"You didn't deserve prison. You should have been floated like the rest of the murderers. All you got was a slap on the wrist for ending my life. You got a little time-out and soon you'll get to go back to your normal life and I'll continue to cease to exist. That isn't very fair, is it? Do you think that's _fair_, Melody?"

"N-no." She shook her head from side to side and struggled to catch her breath. "It's not fair. I don't deserve to be here."

"You're right. You _don't _deserve to be here. All you're doing is taking up space and oxygen. That's all you've _ever _done… I'm disappointed in you, Melody." He says, finally, delivering the line that crushes her more than anything else. Because disappointment hurts a helluva lot more than anger or hatred. "_Very _disappointed."

The room is silent then, aside from the sound of her crying and the occasional hiccup. Melody hates feeling so weak, but she can't help it. Something about Jason breaks down all of her barriers and reduces her to a sniveling child.

"They'll never accept you." Says Jason suddenly, giving her a disgusted glance, regarding her like she's the plague. "They'll never _love _you. Don't you understand it yet, Melody? You don't deserve it. You don't deserve their kindness or their compassion or their so-called _love. _All you do is bring pain to the people you care about. All you do is destroy everyone you love."

Melody nods, biting hard on her bottom lip as she continues to accept the scolding that she so rightly deserves. She doesn't need to ask who "they" are, because she already knows exactly who she doesn't deserve. She already knows just who she continues to hurt time and time again. She knows whose love and acceptance she craves the most.

Jasper. Monty. Octavia. Bellamy. Clarke. Finn. Raven.

"Say it, Melody." Commands Jason, his voice loud and strong and powerful. There's an edge to his voice that makes her shiver with dread. "Say that you don't deserve them. Say that you'll never be good enough. _Say it._"

Her lower lip trembles slightly, and she opens her mouth to speak. She doesn't want to say it, she doesn't want for it to be true. "I don't…I don't…"

The words get stuck in her throat.

"Say it." Repeats Jason as he glares down at her, his blue eyes burning bright with hatred. "Say it!"

"I don't deserve-"

"No." Says a new voice.

Melody's head snaps up and she watches as a new presence fills the room. Her brows draw together when she sees him standing there, arms crossed tightly over his chest and his infamous scowl in place. His eyes are alit with fire, with anger and it sparks something inside of Melody that she didn't know was there.

This isn't right.

This isn't how it's supposed to happen. In all the times she has re-lived this scene, he has _never _made an appearance before. Things are shifting and the dream is changing, and suddenly Melody feels like she's lost inside her own mind. She doesn't know what to do, because the dream has _always _continued with her uttering that final line; _I don't deserve them. _

"Bellamy…what are you doing here?" She whispers, shaking her head in confusion. "You're not supposed to be here. _How_ are you here?"

"I'm here to help you." He replies, crossing the distance between the two of them quickly. His brown eyes are kind, caring. The wonderfully familiar scent of leather and grass is nearly intoxicating.

Slowly, Melody's nightmare begins to shift into a fantasy.

"Help me? Help me do what?" This wasn't making any sense.

She stares up at him in bewilderment as he extends his hand, but she takes it and pulls herself to her feet. Things feel different suddenly, with Bellamy by her side. A sense of strength washes over her in a wave so ferocious that it almost knocks her off of her feet.

"We're going to slay your demons." Insists Bellamy, as he reaches down and wraps his hand around hers. He squeezes their entwined hands gently, and suddenly all of Melody's fears begin to fade away.

"How do we do that?" She asks, looking between Bellamy and Jason, who was watching the two of them with a scowl on his face. "How do I make this stop?"

"You forgive." Bellamy says simply, as if it's the easiest thing in the world to do.

"You want me to forgive him?" Asks Melody, her green eyes widening. She had never thought she would hear the day that Bellamy Blake encouraged her to forgive _anyone_, let alone someone like Jason Evans.

"No. You don't have to forgive him, Melody. Not ever." Bellamy promises seriously, giving her a rather stern look. "You just have to forgive yourself."

"Forgive myself?" She blinks up at him owlishly, his words so simple yet so complicated. She cannot make sense of his instructions. "How can I do that?"

"You need to let him go, Melody."

"Let him go?"

"Let him go and don't look back. You need to get rid of his memory, because it's not worth having." Bellamy looks at her meaningfully, as if he knows that she's going to argue with him. "You can't dwell on it forever. He may have been good to you once, but he wasn't good to you always. And now it's time to say goodbye."

"Saying goodbye is so hard." She replies, her voice still soft and hesitant. "I don't know if I can do it."

"You don't have to do it alone." He reminds her, once again giving a meaningful squeeze to their entwined hands.

She nods her head and her gaze lingers on Bellamy for a few moments before it switches over to Jason. When she looks at him, she no longer sees someone she should fear. She sees someone she should forget. Someone who has only caused her pain and grief. Someone who's good intentions cannot make up for his bad actions. Someone who hurt her when she really didn't deserve it.

"Goodbye, Jason." Melody says, finding the words easy to say, even if they do sound a bit odd.

Their eyes meet, and Melody no longer sees disappointment in his gaze. His eyes are blank and meaningless, just like his existence. He opens his mouth to say something, but then he begins to flicker. And after a few moments, he fades away completely and he is gone for good.

Melody knows she won't be having this dream again.

"Good job, Melody." Bellamy turns to look at her now, nodding his head. "I'm proud of you."

"Now what?" She asks, looking up at him curiously.

"Now say it."

"Say what?"

"Say you deserve us."

The request causes her eyes to widen. Say she deserves them? Melody is hesitant, but the longer she stares at Bellamy, the more she starts to think that maybe he's right. Maybe she _does _deserve to have people like them. Maybe even though she's done horrible things, it doesn't make her a horrible person.

Maybe deep down she's known that all along.

"I deserve you." She says, her voice firm and unwavering.

"And say you'll come back to us."

"Say I'll what?" She gives him another confused look, not understanding the request.

"Say you'll come back to us. Say you'll wake up."

"Bellamy…I don't understand." Melody shakes her head. "What do you mean?"

"Just _say it. _Tell me you're going to come back to me."

"I am. I'm going to come back to you. Always." She assures him, slightly concerned by the note of panic that she had detected in his voice.

"Good. Now wake up."

"Hmm?"

"Wake up."

"But…"

She trailed off as things began to shift once more. Everything became fuzzy, her cell in the Ark was slowly disappearing. He was disappearing. Melody reached out and desperately tried to grab for him, to make him stay with her, but it was hopeless. All she could do was sink slowly into the darkness as her dream world faded away.

|oOo|

"Wake up, Melody." Urged a soft voice. "Wake up."

Melody groaned softly and stirred on the operating table. She could hear the words that were being said to her, but it was almost impossible to determine who was doing the talking. A hazy veil had descended over her mind and it left her feeling groggy, as if she had slept for far too long and her mind had no intentions of waking up. It was almost as if she was disoriented, as if nothing seemed to click in her mind as it normally would.

Who was trying to wake her up? _Why _were they trying to wake her up? Sleeping had been so peaceful. Speaking of…how long had she been sleeping? And why wasn't she in her own bed? Better yet, why was she in camp? How had she gotten back? Last Melody knew, she was fighting countless grounders with Jasper by her side. And Jasper…where was he? Was he okay? Was everyone okay? Why didn't she know the answers to any of these questions?

Nothing seemed to add up and it was becoming increasingly frustrating.

"Come on, Melody." The unknown person -a woman- began to gently shake her shoulder. "It's time to wake up."

"Mmm." Melody drew in a deep breath and forced her heavy eyelids to flicker open. For a few moments everything was dark, and then things began to come into focus ever so slowly. It took Melody a little while to realize that it was Clarke who stood above her, looking like a blurry but beautiful angel, with her long, golden locks and her piercing blue eyes that had never looked friendlier.

"Atta girl." Praised Clarke, offering a small smile. Her fingers, which were curled around Melody's shoulder, tightened slightly in a very comforting manner. "I was beginning to worry about you."

"How long have I been out?" Melody asked, her throat dry and her voice hoarse. She felt like she had slept for a lifetime…

"Almost two days. You've been in and out of consciousness. You heal quickly compared to some others." Clarke said softly, looking slightly impressed. "When you started talking in your sleep, I thought I should wake you up. How are you feeling?"

_I was talking in my sleep? _

"I feel-oh!" Melody cried out when she tried to sit up too quickly and the movement shot a shooting pain up the right side of her body. One hand moved to her side and Melody gingerly touched the wound, wincing when it began to throb painfully beneath her fingertips. The pain was so intense that it brought tears to her eyes and Melody was forced to lay back, because just the little bit of movement had stolen all of her breath and used up what little energy she had.

"Careful!" Scolded Clarke as she reached down and checked over the wound, which thankfully had not re-opened. "It's still healing."

"I…I got shot." Melody sounded both awed and horrified as she stared down at her torso, which was heavily bandaged. Her old tee-shirt had been removed and Melody was left only in some sort of make-shift crop top, which left her stomach exposed and her injury visible. She ran her fingers along the edge of the bandages, green eyes wide with wonder.

"Yes." Clarke nodded her head in confirmation. "We didn't expect the grounders to be in the trees. One of them hit you as you were running away from the bridge."

"How did I get here?" Asked Melody with a puzzled little frown. "I couldn't have walked back to camp by myself."

"No. Bellamy carried you back."

"Oh…_oh._" And suddenly, it was all coming back to her.

Melody remembered the pain as the arrow had struck her in the side. It was a hot, burning, all-consuming kind of pain. Pain so bad that it made her weep, but not quite bad enough to render her unconscious. And that's why she had been able to scream, to cry out for Bellamy. She could have cried for Jasper or Raven or really _anyone_, but she didn't. It was Bellamy. It would _always_ be Bellamy that she looked to for rescuing.

He had carried her, soothed her, and consoled her. Bellamy hadn't been his usual infuriating self like she would have expected. There were no snide remarks -which he had cut back on as of late- or stubborn arguments. He had been kind and compassionate. He had acted like the Bellamy that she had gotten to know in the woods. The Bellamy who actually acted like he _cared. _ He had been there for Melody when she needed him most, and that was not something that she would forget it any time soon.

Then there was Jasper and Octavia. Two of Melody's very best friends who had been nothing but supportive if memory served her right. Jasper had done his part by holding her hand and distracting her from the pain. Octavia had done more than her fair share by bringing back the antidote to the poison that had coated the tip of the arrow _and _a poultice, which had been made by Lincoln. The two of them were greater friends than Melody could have ever imagined herself having.

And Clarke, the good doctor. Melody vaguely remembered something about an arrow being pushed deeper into her body. It hadn't penetrated her skin on the other side, so Clarke had to force it the rest of the way…_that _had been pleasant. But it was for the best and it had probably saved her life. Clarke had fixed her up and tended to her wound ever since. And for that, Melody owed her more than she could ever repay.

As a combined effort, they had saved her life.

"You remember?" Assumed Clarke, having guessed that it must be rushing back to Melody. The pain and the stress had only kept the memories at bay, but not for long.

"I do." Melody nodded her head and swallowed thickly. "Where is everyone?"

"Where _aren't _they?" Clarke's gaze shifted meaningfully towards her bedside and the doctor chuckled softly.

Melody found herself smiling when she turned her head and was greeted with a most pleasant sight. Jasper still sat by her side, slouched in a chair with his eyes closed and his head thrown back. Monty sat at Jasper's feet, laying with his head resting on the other boy's knee. Their deep, rhythmic breathing was like music to Melody's ears. She was comforted by the fact that they had spent the nights by her side, even if she wasn't conscious to know it at the time.

She had to sit up -with only minimal pain this time- to see the remainder of the room and the rest of its inhabitants. Bellamy sat in one corner of the room, his back pressed firmly against the place where to walls met. And although he was sitting up and his posture was rigid, the boy had somehow managed to fall asleep with both arms crossed tightly over his chest. Octavia was one in the same, only she was curled up against the opposite wall, letting Melody know that the two of them had yet to settle their differences.

Finn and Raven had also stayed, much to Melody's surprise. They lay together on the floor, huddled up beneath one of the old blankets with their arms wrapped around one another. Apparently _that _was still going on for whatever reason. But hey, it wasn't her place to judge their actions.

"Are you okay?" Melody asked quietly, as she looked over at Clarke with an uneasy frown.

The blonde girl wore an unwavering smile, but her eyes betrayed her. On top of all the emotion Melody could see reflected in those beautiful pools of blue, it was obvious that Clarke was exhausted and running on fumes. She probably hadn't slept in days. It was starting to show.

"I'm just glad _you're_ okay." The sincerity in Clarke's voice rocked Melody to the core. "Really, _really _glad."

"You are?" The hesitant little words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. "But I thought…" She trailed off, letting the words linger in the air.

They both knew what she thought.

"I've been acting like a total ass, Melody. You didn't deserve for me to just…just cut you off like that. I was surprised to learn that you killed that doctor, but I should have known that you're not a _killer. _You did what you had to do, just like the rest of us. What you did on the Ark was before we became friends and I had no right to judge you for that. And we _are _friends, Melody. If you still want to be."

Melody no longer craved Clarke's friendship, but she certainly wouldn't pass it up. It was about time Clarke had gotten her head out of her ass and realized that they were just wasting time by fighting. Life would be so much easier if they just put their differences aside and made up. And finally, _finally _the time had come.

"Of course." Melody nodded, giving Clarke a shaky smile. "It's always been us, Clarke. Us against the world. And I'm glad that you're ready to be a part of _us_ again."

Clarke moved forward and embraced Melody lightly, careful not to jostle her too much. Melody wrapped her arms around the other girl in return and squeezed, eyes fluttering shut as she held her friend close. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she had missed Clarke and the bond that the two of them had once shared. Hopefully, with time, things would go back to the way they had been in the beginning.

"You should rest some more, Mel." Suggested Clarke after the two of them had finally pulled apart. "You need to take it easy for a while."

"Me? You look like you're dead on your feet." Melody commented with a small frown. "It's dawn, Clarke. When were you planning on getting some sleep?"

"When you were better."

The words meant a lot to Melody. It meant so much that everyone had been worried, although she really wished that they hadn't been put in that position. The fact that no one had left her side, the fact that would all sooner sleep right in the dropship than leave her alone, made Melody's heart swell with love for her friends. It was times like this when you realized just how much life on Earth really brought everyone together. They were bonded in a way that would seem unexplainable -and maybe even a bit strange- to an outsider.

"Well I'm alright now. And soon the rest of the camp will be waking up. You _need _sleep, Clarke. If someone else gets hurt and you aren't at the top of your game…" Melody trailed off and shook her head. They both knew that it wasn't an option. Clarke was their _only _medic.

"If something happens…" Clarke looked at Melody doubtfully and shook her head slowly, reluctant to leave.

"If something happens then someone will come get you. Don't worry so much, Clarke. Just go back to your tent and try to get a few hours in before the next big crisis strikes, alright?" Melody gave her a pleading look. "_Please._"

"Alright, alright…Call me if you need me." Clarke looked around the dropship one final time as she slowly eased her way out of the room. "If you need _anything, _Melody. Don't even hesitate to send someone. I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am." Melody mock saluted as she watched Clarke finally leave the dropship, hesitant as ever.

And then Melody was left alone, with nothing but her sleeping companions. She really didn't mind the silence, though. It gave her time to think about what had happened over the last few days. It had been a whirlwind of crazy and Melody was just finally finding enough time to breathe and re-evaluate.

It was strange to think that only a few days ago she and Octavia had been releasing Lincoln from his holding cell. In that same night, Bellamy and Clarke had brought the guns back to camp. Melody found it funny how so much could change over the course of three or four days. At the beginning of the week they had been scared and defenseless, waiting for an attack. And now they were training every day, preparing for war.

There was still the whole Unity Day fiasco to think about. The day had started off pretty good, aside from that whole episode where they had to watch the kids from the Ark explode right in front of their faces. Melody had buried those thoughts with Unity Juice, though, and she had actually enjoyed herself for a little while that night. For the first time since arriving on Earth, she had let her guard down and was content to just _be. _She had lived in the moment and she didn't regret it…until the end of the night.

Melody remembered how angry Bellamy had been when she had walked off into the woods after spending the night playing Unity Juice pong with the guys. He was angrier with the situation than he was with Melody, but his anger had still unsettled her. Bellamy was angry a lot of the time, but he never directed it at Melody. He always just brushed her off or told her to leave him alone. But that night he had gotten all up in her face, demanding to know how much she had drank and why she was wearing Fletcher's hat and blah blah blah.

Melody hadn't understood why he was so upset then. Now, she realized that he had been jealous. Possessive, even. Maybe slightly territorial. It was funny considering the fact that Melody wasn't even his to begin with; she was her own. But that hadn't stopped Bellamy from attempting to stake his claim. And he would have succeeded, if not for Clarke's little interruption.

And that brought her to the grounder meeting. Melody had known that it would be risky when she agreed to go as back-up. She hadn't ever imagined that she would actually get wounded in battle. When the grounders had struck, Melody had panicked and froze with fear. All she cared about was making sure the rest of her people got out safely. The next time she wouldn't be so stupid.

To hesitate was to die.

And after she had gotten hurt, Bellamy had brought her back to camp. _Bellamy, Bellamy, Bellamy. _Lately he seemed to be gracing her thoughts with his presence more than usual. Hell, he was even making surprise appearances in her _dreams._ He was helping her to slay her demons and he didn't even realize it. There was just something about Bellamy that seemed to give Melody strength, and she was just now noticing what had been there all along. Something between the two of them had changed that night in the woods, and Melody didn't know exactly what it was that made things so different.

Either way, she didn't want things to go back to the way they were before.

Naturally, Melody was weary of romantic feelings towards anyone. Jason had taken something from her that she would never be able to get back; her innocence. When it came to being alone with any man, even just the _guards_, Melody found her palms sweating and her anxiety spiking. It was a natural instinct -perhaps even an irrational one- that she just couldn't control. Jason had shown her that even the most noble of people were capable of horrible things. And a part of Melody just couldn't squelch the fear that maybe something so horrible could happen to her again, no matter who she was with.

_You don't feel that way with Bellamy, _she reminded herself gently. _He makes you feel safe. Secure. You know he would never hurt you. _

Although she was still slightly confused about what she was feeling, Melody knew that she didn't want to go back to being on-again-off-again friends with Bellamy Blake. The way he looked at her now -or perhaps it was the way he always had, but she was just now noticing- made her heart race and her cheeks flush. His voice, his eyes, his smile, his entire _being _was enough to make her happy. Melody had never experienced these kinds of thoughts and emotions before. They were scary, but it was the best kind of scary imaginable…

"You're awake." Said a gruff voice from the corner.

Melody's head snapped to the side as she was jolted out of her thoughts and she saw Bellamy watching her curiously. His eyes looked bleary and tired, suggesting that he had just woken. A sudden and loud yawned confirmed Melody's suspicions rather quickly. It was almost like he _knew _she was thinking about him.

"I'm awake." She agreed softly with a small nod.

Bellamy scratched at his head and watched her, suddenly looking slightly unsure of himself. "Do you, uh…do you feel okay?"

"I feel fine." She replied quietly, giving him a weak and unconvincing smile. "Just a little banged up."

"You had everyone worried there for a minute."

"I was pretty worried myself." She admitted. "For a while there…"

"I know." Bellamy's voice was quiet and grave, letting Melody know that he understood exactly what she had been getting at.

"I told you to take care of them."

"I told you it wouldn't come down to that."

"I'm glad you were right."

"Yeah. So am I."

The two of them looked at each other for a few moments, letting the silence do all of the talking. Although he didn't come right out and say it, Melody knew that Bellamy had been afraid that she was going to die. And she knew that he was relieved that she was alright now. Words were no longer needed to convey what they were thinking. A thousand emotions burned in his brown eyes, and a million in his crooked little smile.

The moment -as always- was fleeting.

Dawn had arrived and it seemed that everyone in the dropship began to wake up at the same time. One moment it was just Bellamy and Melody staring at one another, and in the next moment she was surrounded by the rest of her friends, all of whom were eagerly asking questions and talking a mile a minute.

"Good morning, sunshine." Finn came and perched himself at the end of Melody's bed, offering her a sweet but cautious smile.

"Morning." Replied Melody quietly, as she did her best to return the friendly gesture. Smiling was _much _easier when her side didn't feel like it was throbbing, aching, and burning all at the same time.

"How'd you sleep?" Raven came to stand beside Finn, looking just as concerned.

"Like the dead."

Melody was the only one who laughed at her joke.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Said Octavia as she stepped forward and threw her arms around Melody, hugging her tightly. "You scared me half to death."

"It's alright, O." Melody insisted, wrapping her arms around the other girl in turn. "Just a little scratch is all."

"We've got matching scars now, Mel." Jasper pointed out, from where he sat in his chair at her bedside. "I was speared, you were shot, Finn was stabbed…"

"We are the definition of unlucky." Said Melody, and no one could disagree.

The all sat together for a while, spending as much time as possible talking before they had to go about their day. Melody couldn't remember the last time they had all been together like this. She didn't know if there was _ever _a time when they had all put their differences aside and come together. In one way her accident was a curse, in another it seemed to almost be a blessing.

The time did come, however, when they had to part. It seemed that everyone had somewhere to be, aside from Melody who couldn't do anything other than lay in bed; Clarke's orders. One by one they said goodbye to her, promising to return later in the day. First it was Raven and Finn, then Octavia, Monty, and finally Jasper. Soon only Bellamy remained.

"What are the chances of you leaving my side today?" Asked Melody off handedly, as the two of them sat in the dropship, staring at one another.

It was a pretty straight-forward question, but she didn't think there was any sense in beating around the bush. When it came to Bellamy, the last thing she wanted to be was coy.

Bellamy remained seated in the place where the two walls met. His back was still pressed against the corner, and his arms were still crossed over his chest. His brown eyes observed her carefully, and he looked as if he were in no hurry to leave.

"Slim to none." Said Bellamy.

Melody just smiled, because that was exactly what she had been waiting to hear.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

It had been days since Melody's "accident" and with every passing hour she seemed to be getting stronger. At first she had just lain in bed, letting the pain all but consume her. Some days were worse than others, but every day consisted of the all-too familiar throbbing/aching/burning sensation that began in her right side and spread throughout her body. By the end of the third day she was able to sit up without any assistance at all, and by the fourth she felt ready to take on the world…not that Bellamy or Clarke would let her.

The medicine that Lincoln had provided did wonders for Melody's body and the healing process. She was healing much faster than Jasper and Finn had, which was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing because hey, she wasn't going to die. But it was a curse because she had to spend day in and day out stuck in the dropship…At least Bellamy had stayed true to his word, and he spent every waking minute by her side.

The two of them were currently in the infirmary -as they had been for the last several days- with Melody laying on her bed and Bellamy standing beside her. He'd just come to Melody with the news that Clarke wanted him to go with her and a few others for the day so that they could check out a crash site.

"Bellamy, you have to go." Urged Melody softly, reaching out to lay a gentle hand on his arm. She didn't _want _him to go, but she knew that it would be selfish to make him stay. "Clarke needs your help."

Everyone was talking about the exodus ship that had crashed the night before. A lot of the campers had seen it for themselves, and those who hadn't quickly heard the news. The ship that was being sent down to save them had crashed. A ship that had been carrying supplies and people and the things that they would need to survive the winter. A ship that had been carrying one Abby Griffin, their best doctor and Clarke's mother.

Melody knew that things were going to be hard for Clarke now. She had just watched the ship that carried her mother fall from the sky and crash land onto Earth. The chances of anyone surviving the crash were slim to none. And although Melody knew that Clarke and her mother had their differences, they were still family. If it had been her own mother, Melody would be devastated. That's why she was so willing to let Bellamy spend the day with Clarke. She thought that the good doctor could use a bit of his strength.

"Melody you're just now starting to feel better. I know that Clarke could use an extra hand, but…" He trailed off, shaking his head and looking slightly guilty. It was obvious that Bellamy was actually debating whether or not to leave her even though the circumstances should have made the decision very easy for him.

The fact that he cared so much really did warm Melody's heart. Bellamy hadn't left her side even one time since the day she'd woken up. He had sat in the dropship with her for hours on end, making sure that she was safe. No one said anything about how out of character he was being, not even when he blatantly showed his concern and/or protectiveness. Bellamy did this all in a way that was so natural it hardly seemed imaginable that he had once been so cold and cruel to anyone, especially Melody.

"Bellamy, don't worry." Melody sat up in the bed, slowly but surely. Although the pain had lessened over the course of the last few days, she was still rather sore. "I can handle spending a few hours by myself. It's not as bad as it seems."

"Melody you got _impaled by an_ _arrow._ It's been less than a week." Pointed out Bellamy as he watched her anxiously. "I think it is as bad as it seems. You should really take it easy."

"Clarke says I'm going to make a full recovery in no time." She replied, giving him what she hoped was a reassuring look. "Besides, you _have_ to go. She needs you more than I do."

"I don't know, Melody. This doesn't feel right." Said Bellamy, with a shake of his head. "Maybe I should stay. I could send Finn or Jasper in my place."

"I said I'm _fine._"

As if to prove her point, Melody swung both legs over the side of the operating table, her "bed", and stood up. She wobbled slightly, her legs shaking as they took the full brunt of her weight. It'd been days since she had even tried to stand up by herself. The pain had always been far too great, and today it was no exception. Melody let out a ragged breath as a wave of pain washed over her and she stumbled forward a few steps without meaning to. Bellamy reached out to place a hand on either shoulder in an effort to steady her, looking down at Melody with narrowed eyes.

"You're fine?" He questioned, arching a brow. "Really?"

"Yes." Melody flushed, embarrassed that she had needed him to catch her. Betrayed by her own body.

"Uh-huh." He said slowly, giving her a dubious look.

"Really, Bellamy. I can't lay in that bed forever, you know."

"Says you."

Before she could even blink, one of Bellamy's hands gripped her thigh and he quite literally swept Melody off of her feet. In one swift motion he had her off of the ground and in his arms. One arm curled around her lower back and the other supported her legs as he determinedly moved towards the hospital bed.

"Hey!" Melody protested, as she was lain on the infirmary bed once more. "I told you I could handle it."

"And I told _you_ to take it easy." Retorted Bellamy in a stern, almost scolding voice as he stepped away from the bed and crossed both arms firmly over his chest once more. His stubborn side was coming out, and it would do her no good to argue with him once his mind was made up. "You need to stay in bed and rest. When I get back I expect to find you in one piece, Melody."

"Nag, nag, nag." Mel rolled her eyes at him. "Don't you have something better to do with your time, Bellamy?"

"Melody." His tone was short, suggesting that he was in a no-nonsense mindset. _That _wasn't anything new.

"_Fine. _I'll stay in bed like a good little girl, okay?" Melody heaved a heavy sigh, slightly exasperated by his non-stop concern for her. As much as Melody loved the fact that he cared about her well-being, she also hated being treated with kid gloves. She wanted to be up and moving around, helping out in camp as much as she could. Bedrest really sucked.

Bellamy stepped forward then, and he did something that surprised Melody. One hand tangled itself in the red hair at the base of Melody's neck, and the other reached down and tilted her chin up. His eyes fluttered shut and his lips brushed against her forehead for a moment or two. Melody sucked in a sharp breath and stayed still, blinking a few times in surprise.

"Don't pout." Said Bellamy, when he finally pulled away. His brown eyes were soft now and he gazed down at Melody with an almost fondness that he reserved for only a select few. "Just stay in bed and don't strain yourself, okay? I'll have Octavia check in on you while I'm gone."

_Did that really just happen? _

"It's just a day trip, right?" Melody asked softly, shrugging her shoulders. The fight had been completely drained out of her the moment she'd felt his lips on her forehead. Partially because she was so surprised and partially because it was hard to think about anything other than the current eruption of butterflies in her stomach. "I'm sure I can handle a few more hours in this bed."

"That's the spirit." Praised Bellamy with a smile. He began to walk away from her then, towards the dropship door. No goodbye or anything. And if there was one thing Melody had learned, it was that their time on Earth was limited. _Anything _could happen, and goodbyes suddenly meant a lot more than they used to.

"Wait!" Melody called out, sitting up quickly, one hand extended as if to reach out and pull him back to her. "Hold on."

Bellamy spun around and frowned in confusion when he saw the worried and almost panic-stricken look on Melody's face. "What is it?"

"Just…stay safe, Bel." She said softly, her voice shaking slightly. "Okay?"

_I can't lose you, _she thought to herself. _Not you. Not now._

A smile curved Bellamy's lips at her words and he nodded shortly. "I'll see you soon, Melody."

The confident way that he said the words almost made Melody believe him.

|oOo|

The rest of the day was proving to be uneventful.

Octavia did check in on Melody several times throughout the day, on Bellamy's orders. And Melody was good about keeping her promise to Bellamy. She stayed in the dropship despite the fact that she wanted nothing more than to be outside, among her people. It had been far too long since Melody had been asked to fetch water or gather food or keep watch. She was going crazy being cooped up in the infirmary like some sort of invalid. And it didn't help that she hardly had any visitors. Bellamy had made it clear that _no one _was to bother Melody while she rested, aside from their few, mutual friends.

Now that she was no longer in the danger zone, everyone had moved on with their lives. Jasper and Monty were busy doing whatever the hell it was that kept them occupied during the day. They would stop in occasionally, but not nearly often enough for Melody's liking. Clarke was busy being a medic and a leader, Finn was busy following after Clarke, and Raven was busy trailing behind Finn. The only person that consistently checked in was Octavia, who seemed to be under closer supervision ever since Bellamy had found out about her relationship with Lincoln.

Today the hours seemed to drag on.

Time passed painfully slowly as Melody sat in bed, worrying about the group that had gone to check out the crash site. The group consisted of Clarke, Bellamy, Finn, Raven, and handful of guys that had taken along for back-up. After their most recent run-in with the grounders, everyone was on edge. They didn't know when or how the grounders were going to strike next. Leaving camp for any reason at all was dangerous, but it had to done.

All Melody seemed to be able to do was _wait. _She was waiting for her body to heal, she was waiting to be off of bed rest, she was waiting for someone to come and entertain her, and she was waiting for Bellamy to walk back into the dropship and give her whatever news there might be, good or bad. The waiting was agonizing for Melody, who was not the most patient of people. She wanted to be out there, to be a part of the action…

And around nightfall, she got her wish.

"Come on, bring him in here!" Shouted Octavia as she bust into the room and strode forward, hands on her hips. The dark-haired girl paced around slowly, making a circle and then another as she waited for whoever was on the other side of the door.

Hearing the noise, Melody sat up and turned her attention towards Octavia, brows furrowing. The other girl hardly even seemed to notice Melody. She was too busy staring at the door expectantly. And in a few moments, a group of guys walked into the dropship, escorting a bloody and bruised figure that Melody didn't recognize.

"O, what is it?" Asked Melody, looking between Octavia and the bloody stranger a couple of times. Her heart was racing wildly, because beneath all of the blood and grime, this guy was unrecognizable. It could be _anyone._ "What happened?"

"It's Murphy." Octavia said quietly, staring at the boy who now sat on the far side of the dropship, curled up near the base of the ladder.

"_Murphy?_"

Melody's green eyes widened as she stared over at her fellow delinquent. It had been a long, long time since John Murphy had been seen or heard from. And it had been a long time since Melody had spared him a second thought. The night of Charlotte's death he had been banished and told that if he ever returned to camp, it would result in his death. And apparently he didn't understand exactly what that meant, because here he was. The sight of his broken and bloody body should have made Melody feel some sort of pity, but it didn't. All she felt was relief. Relief because it wasn't Finn or Bellamy or Clarke or Raven.

"In the flesh." Replied Murphy hoarsely, grinning wickedly. "Surprise, surprise; I'm not dead."

All of a sudden a tidal wave of emotions washed over Melody. It didn't seem fair that Murphy got to live and Charlotte had to die. Sweet, hard-working Charlotte who would forever be frozen at thirteen years old. The girl had just made a mistake, albeit a colossal mistake. Killing Charlotte wouldn't have been avenging a lost life; it would have just been adding another body to their ever-growing list. Justice on Earth needed to be different than it had been on the Ark. _Every _life mattered down here.

"You will be." Melody said, scowling at him. "Bellamy told you not to come back to camp after what you did. He _warned _you, Murphy."

"I didn't know where else to go." Murphy said, his voice suddenly losing its taunting edge. He sounded sad and unsure of himself…_almost _pitiful.

"Well where the hell have you been living for the last few months?" Demanded Octavia, giving him a rather sharp look. "And don't lie."

"The grounders took me." Said Murphy. "They took me and they locked me up. Tortured me."

"He's lying." Octavia said with a slow shake of her head. "He just wants our sympathy."

"I don't want shit from you." Spat Murphy, glaring up at Octavia. "It's the _truth_."

"Why would the grounders want _you_?" Octavia retorted, glaring down at him. She certainly was not afraid of expressing her true feelings when it came to John Murphy.

"I was Bellamy's right hand man. They thought I might know something useful."

That did make sense. For the first few weeks Murphy and Bellamy had been conspiring together as they tried to keep the Ark from coming to Earth. Both of the boys hated authority and they hated everything the Ark stood for, everything it had taken away from them. Things had changed though, first when Murphy had tried to go after Melody and then again when he had been hanged for a crime he didn't commit. Things would never be the same when it came to Murphy and Bellamy…but how could the grounders possibly know that?

"And you talked, didn't you?" Octavia asked as she curled her lip in disgust. "You spilled your guts. You told them everything you knew."

Murphy clenched his jaw, and then nodded once.

"Damn it." Octavia shook her head, turning away from Murphy so that she could pace uneasily around the infirmary.

Melody was perplexed about the whole situation, too. She didn't know what Murphy told the grounders, but it wasn't likely to be good. The 100 had started out at a disadvantage and this incident only set them back even further. The war had already begun and so far they were getting their asses kicked. The grounders had home-field advantage, _plus_ they knew exactly where the 100 had set up camp, _plus _they had all of these weapons and medicines and armor, _plus _they knew whatever Murphy had told them about day-to-day life in the camp.

But that wasn't what unsettled Melody the most.

She was watching Murphy now, as he sat balled up in the corner of the dropship. His face was covered in a mixture of blood, sweat, and dirt. Some of the cuts on his face were open and bleeding which led Melody to believe that he'd been out of the grounder's camp for only a short amount of time. His hair was matted and greasy, sticking to his forehead. He was covered from head to foot in a coat of grime, which he'd acquired over the last few months. Basically, he looked like a wounded animal.

"All this time…you've been with the grounders." Melody's stomach was turning at the mere thought of what those savages could and _would _do to a guy like Murphy. "You've spent the last several months getting beaten and tortured. You spent countless days and nights in unbearable pain, pain so intense that death would have been a great mercy."

He nodded in agreement. "The whole time."

If what Murphy said was true, it meant that for _months_ the grounders had been torturing him for information. For _months _they'd kept him locked up in a cage like some sort of wild animal. They had tortured him until they broke him, and then they had tortured him some more. Unlike what Bellamy had done to Lincoln. No, the grounders were the ones in the wrong here. They'd made the first move. _They _had started this war. This whole time the 100 had been fighting a battle that they didn't know about until it was almost too late.

"Good." Melody said, staring Murphy dead in the eye when she spoke. "You deserved it."

The two of them stared at each other for a good, long while. His blue eyes were cold and distant, but his gaze was unwavering. Melody's eyes were alit with fire, a fire that was fueled by her hatred of the boy sitting in front of her. Three months ago, John Murphy could have fallen off of the planet -she kind of assumed he had- and Melody wouldn't have batted an eyelash.

But now…

There was something in his eyes that called out to her. Yeah he could be mean and he could be cruel, but there was more to Murphy than his tough guy façade. Melody could see it in his eyes; he was _scared. _Hell, he was _shaking. _Scared and shaking because of what had happened to him, scared and shaking because he was surrounded by a hundred people who hated him, scared and shaking because he knew that the moment Bellamy got back into camp he would be cast out again; or worse. John Murphy might be one sick, twisted bastard…but he was human.

_Every _life mattered.

"Here's how this is going to work." Said Melody, sliding off of her bed slowly. Her side hurt an awful lot and it throbbed in protest to her movements, but Melody ignored the pain and slowly began to cross the room on slightly wobbly legs. "I'm going to sit with you. I'm going to talk to you. And I'm going to clean your cuts."

"I don't need your help." Snapped Murphy. He scowled at Melody and drew back slightly, trying to increase the distance between the two of them. "I'm fine."

"This is _not _a debate." Said Melody firmly, her voice ringing out loudly. "You're going to sit there and you're either going to shut up or you're going to be pleasant. I don't give a damn if it _kills _you to do so, John Murphy."

His blue eyes widened slightly for the briefest of seconds before his gaze narrowed and he was looking at Melody suspiciously. She knew that it probably seemed odd that she was offering -or more like forcing- her help when just moments before she had been telling him that he deserved every bit of the torture he underwent. But Melody wasn't here to make things simple; she was here to get things done. And right now she was the only one willing to tend to the boy.

"You." Melody turned her head and looked at one of the guys who had come into the dropship with Murphy. "It's Connor, right?"

"Yeah." Connor nodded.

"Connor, I need you to go and get me some water and a few strips of clean cloth. Can you do that?" Asked Melody, giving him a sweet but stiff smile. It was obvious that she wasn't really asking him. She was just ordering him to do her bidding in a very polite fashion.

"Uh…" He trailed off slowly, frowning. 'Bellamy won't-"

"Did I _ask _what Bellamy would or wouldn't like?" Melody hardly waited a beat before continuing, giving him no time to answer. "No? I didn't think so. Water. Now."

"Some moonshine, too?" Asked Connor, which surprised Melody a bit. Her shock must have been evident, because he mumbled sheepishly, "Clarke uses it to disinfect things."

"Sounds perfect." Melody gave him another forced and nodded towards the door, gesturing for him to leave. "And hurry."

She began to move back towards Murphy, but she was cut off by Octavia, the one who was supposed to be her babysitter for the day.

"Melody, you're supposed to be resting." Said Octavia with a disapproving frown as she looked slowly between Melody and Murphy. "Clarke's going to throw a fit…my brother might have a meltdown."

"What they don't know won't hurt them, O." Melody insisted.

"Why are you doing this? It's _Murphy._" She continued, with that same little disgusted grimace that seemed to form every time she mentioned his name. "He wouldn't do it for you."

_I'm doing it because I can't stand seeing him like this, like some wounded animal, _thought Melody. _I'm doing it because if I don't try and fix what's broken, nobody will. I'm doing it because John Murphy may be capable of redemption. _

But of course, Melody couldn't say any of this aloud.

"I'm not doing it because I _like _him, Octavia." She said instead. "I'm doing it because I know it's the right thing to do. If I don't help him, who will? Not Clarke, not Bellamy, not any of you."

"That's because we see him for who he is!" Octavia said angrily. "After all the shit he did you're still going to help him?"

"I am." Confirmed Melody with a short nod. "Every life matters, Octavia."

"You can't save them all, Mel." Octavia shook her head slowly, giving Melody a look that was somewhere between frustration and confusion.

"_Watch me._"

Melody brushed past Octavia and knelt down on the floor in front of Murphy. Frowning, she hesitantly reached out to touch him. Murphy jerked his head to the side and glowered up at her. Once more Melody reached out and this time she gripped his chin, firmly, so that he couldn't pull away. She examined his cuts and scrapes as she had seen Clarke do so many times before. And from what she could tell, nothing was infected.

Murphy was, however, in need of a proper check-up. Only Clarke would be able to determine how to handle the bigger wounds left by the grounders. None of them seemed life threatening, but they also didn't look very pleasant. Melody could see the wounds that looked like they'd been opened and re-opened carelessly, time and time again. They really had put Murphy through all the hell he deserved while he had stayed in their camp. If Clarke was willing to look him over then he might actually be able to begin healing properly.

"Thank you." Melody said softly, when Connor came back with the items she had asked for. She dipped the rag into the moonshine first, figuring that she would rather be safe than sorry. Who knew how fast an infection could spread? "This might sting a little bit." She warned him softly, wringing out the rag above the bowl.

Melody turned back towards Murphy and leaned forward. She wiped the rag down one side of his face slowly, watching as some of the dirt and blood came away, staining the once white cloth a dark, dingy color. Murphy let out a soft, but sharp hiss from between his clenched teeth, but he didn't allow himself to cry out. Melody figured that it was another part of that "tough guy" façade. He had to keep up appearances. For the most part, anyways.

"I know it hurts. I'm-" Melody was cut off mid-apology.

"Where is he?" Bellamy came storming into the dropship suddenly with Clarke and Finn close behind. His eyes immediately found Murphy, who was still shaking, and Bellamy paused. His brown eyes widened ever so slightly and then hardened. "Everyone but Connor and Derek out. _Now._"

"Sorry." Melody finished, her voice barely a whisper as she dipped the soiled rag into the bowl as her side and began to wring it out once more.

"Melody. Get up." Commanded Bellamy, his voice stern and hard, like it always was when he was in "king mode." He extended his arm and offered his hand to her.

"But…Bellamy." Melody frowned up at him, staring at his upturned palm.

"No _buts._ Get your ass up and away from him."

"His face…oh, _fine." _The look Bellamy was giving her caused Melody to huff softly. It took every ounce of self-control to bite her tongue and keep all of her complaints to herself. But somehow she managed to keep quiet and just accepted Bellamy's hand so that she could climb to her feet.

Now that Melody was up and kept a safe distance away from Murphy -Bellamy had pulled her back behind him, so that she couldn't interfere even if she wanted to- it was time to get things rolling. Bellamy turned to look at Collin and Derek expectantly. "What's up?" He asked, before his stony gaze shifted back down towards Murphy.

"He claims he was with the grounders." Said Derek.

"We caught him trying to sneak back into camp." Connor added.

"I wasn't sneaking." Murphy's voice was soft and passive when he spoke, having completely lost what little edge it might have had earlier. "I was running from the grounders."

"Well, did anyone see any grounders?" Asked Bellamy, looking between Connor and Derek for his answer.

They shook their heads. "Uh-uh."

"Well in that case." Bellamy brought his gun up and pointed it at Murphy.

Melody had to stifle a shout as she watched him, so willing to end the other man's life. She had always known that Bellamy was strong and dangerous and willing to do a lot of things. But she had never thought him capable of shooting a man point-blank when all he could do was sit in the corner of the room and cower.

It was Finn who stopped Bellamy by pushing the gun down and away from Murphy. "Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?" Demanded Finn, his eyes wide with surprise and disbelief.

"We were clear on what would happen if he came back!" Bellamy raised the gun once more and looked into the scope.

Finn stepped between Bellamy and Murphy, holding his arms out. "No. If he was with the grounders, he knows things. Things that could help us!"

"Help us? We hanged him, we banished him, and now we're going to kill him." Bellamy said determinedly. "Now get the hell out of my way."

"No." Clarke brushed past Bellamy and moved to crouch at Murphy's side, just like Melody had done moments before. "Finn's right."

"Like hell he is!" Bellamy sounded outraged. "Clarke, think about Charlotte."

"Think about _Melody._" Clarke shot back.

All eyes fell upon Melody, who was still standing behind Bellamy and watching the scene with widened eyes. She blinked a few times in surprise as her name was mentioned, and then she was scowling in confusion, her brows furrowing and her forehead wrinkling.

"Me?" Asked Melody, pointing to herself as if to make sure that she was understanding Clarke correctly. What could _she _have to do with any of this?

"Yes, _you._ In case you forgot, you almost died a few days ago after being attacked by a group of grounders."

"No, I remember. But what does _that_ have to do with any of _this_?" Wondered Melody.

"He wasn't lying. His fingernails are torn off…they tortured him. And that means he really was with the grounders for months." Clarke pointed out. "He might know things. Things that could help us prevent something like _that _from ever happening again."

That seemed to be give Bellamy pause for a moment or two. He looked at Clarke, and then his gaze shifted back towards Melody. He stared at her for a long time and Melody stared back, unsure of what she should say in a moment like this. In the end all she could do was shrug, because she didn't see the harm in keeping Murphy around for a little while.

"Once he's better, we find out what he knows, and then he's out of here, ok?" Clarke asked, giving Bellamy a meaningful look before she began to walk towards the exit of the dropship, not leaving the topic up for debate.

Murphy was staying…temporarily.

"And what if he refuses to leave?" Asked Bellamy, who had spun on his heel to watch Clarke's departure? "What do we do then?"

Clarke paused for a few seconds and turned to look at them. She looked at John Murphy long and hard before answering. "Then we kill him."

|oOo|

The next morning proved to be just as eventful as the previous night.

"I thought I told you to _rest_." Bellamy frowned at Melody as the two of them stood in the middle of the dropship, alone aside from Murphy who was still in his little corner of the room, which was where he had been all night.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I must have missed the part where I started taking orders from you." Said Melody, giving Bellamy an over-the-top smile that was a little bit _too _sweet.

He was not amused.

"Damn it, Melody. You're going to hurt yourself if you're not careful." He warned her with a soft shake of his head. "You can't keep running around like you're freaking Superman. Your body needs time to heal."

Since the previous night, Melody had been moving around a lot more and making herself useful when possible.

"I already told you that I was fine, Bellamy." Melody replied, brushing off his words of concern. She moved turned away from him and began to slowly walk back towards her bed. All of the morning's activity -which had just been disinfecting some of Clarke's medical equipment and filling her water bottle- seemed to be taking its toll. Not that she would ever admit any of this to Bellamy. "You worry too much."

"You don't worry enough." He argued stubbornly. "This isn't the Ark. They can't just patch you up and give you some antibiotics if you rip your stitches or you get an infection or…Melody, are you even listening to me?"

But Melody had stopped listening to him, because suddenly she felt really, _really _worn out. The pain in her side was becoming more and more prominent with every passing second. Melody's fingers brushed against her wound, but it was still stitched up, nice and tight, just like Clarke had left it. She brushed her hand against her cheeks and gasped, because her face felt like it had been exposed to an open flame. She was burning up with fever.

"What's wrong?" Asked Bellamy, as he took a step closer, his voice rising slightly. "Is it the stitches? Did you tear them?"

"_Stop._" Melody held her hand out to Bellamy and took a few steps away from him, shaking her head. She didn't want him to catch whatever she was coming down with. Or maybe she wasn't coming down with anything. Maybe it was a side effect of the arrow wound. "Don't come any closer."

"Melody…Oh, god. _Your eyes._" Bellamy's brown eyes widened, their dark depths filled with surprise mixed with fear.

"My what?"

She brought her fingertips up to her face slowly. Melody frowned in confusion and blinked a few times. Was she…_crying_? That was ridiculous. Why would she be crying? Her fingers brushed against her eyes and sure enough Melody could feel the warm wetness on her fingers. When she brought her hand down to inspect her fingertips, she saw that they were coated with blood.

_What the hell? _

Her panic growing, Melody took another few steps away from Bellamy. What did she have? Why was she bleeding out of her freaking eyes? Melody had never heard of such an illness before, but she knew that it couldn't be good…Melody opened her mouth to assure Bellamy that she would be alright, but the words never made it past her lips.

Suddenly, Melody fell to her knees in the middle of the dropship. And then began to cough. She coughed so hard that it made her chest ache and it caused her stomach to heave. She was shivering, but at the same time she was far too hot. Her head was pounding and she could hear her heart beating loudly in her ears. A low groan escaped from between her parted lips as she leaned forward, bracing herself on her hands and knees.

"Melody." Bellamy began to move towards her.

"No, stop." She whispered, her breathing ragged as she forced herself to look up at him. It was a difficult task, because suddenly her head felt like it weighed a hundred pounds. The strain from trying to hold herself up was causing Melody's arms to shake violently. "Don't come near me. Please."

There was nothing more in the world that she wanted than Bellamy's comfort. She wanted him to hold her and to soothe her and to tell her that everything was going to be alright. God, Melody wanted that more than she had ever wanted anything in her entire life. But she knew that she couldn't have it. If whatever she had caught -this new, unfamiliar Earth virus- was contagious, then she didn't want to risk giving it to him. There was no need for the both of them to be suffering like she currently was.

"Clarke. Clarke!" Bellamy was shouting now, both hands cupped around his mouth as he called for the good doctor.

Melody groaned, doing her best to tune everything else out. All she could focus on was the pain. The pain from the arrow wound was nothing compared to what she felt now. If Melody had to guess what dying felt like, this would be it. She felt like her whole body was turning against her, bit by bit. It was like the worst case of flu mixed with a bad respiratory infection, with a bit of death and despair on the side.

_Please make it stop, _Melody thought desperately as she finally gave in and collapsed onto the floor, her cheek resting against the cool metal. _It hurts so badly. _

Time didn't seem to pass normally.

Melody felt like she was in a daze when her eyes finally fluttered open once more. She blinked a few times as she stared at the people in the dropship. Everything seemed to be happening almost in slow motion. Clarke had arrived, and so had Finn. They were talking to Bellamy about something that Melody couldn't understand. Their voices just sounded like a loud buzzing noise, a noise that was hurting her head and causing her to groan again.

_Hey guys, thanks for leaving me on the floor, _she thought to herself as she watched them all talking urgently. _No rush. I'll just wait for you to finish._

"Clarke." Melody whispered, when she finally found her voice again. It sounded faint and quiet and so weak. "What's happening to me?"

And then Clarke was by her side in what seemed like seconds, pushing Melody's hair back out of her face and talking in low, soothing tones. "Melody, I need you to relax, okay? _Bellamy, stay back. _Melody…focus on me, okay. I need you to listen carefully. This is some type of biological warfare. They gave Murphy the disease and he passed it to all of us. _Damn it, Bellamy. I told you to stay back!_"

Melody's head lolled to the side as she stared up at Clarke and Bellamy, who were now arguing with one another. It looked like a really intense screaming match, but Melody couldn't make sense of the words they were saying. All she could think about was Clarke's explanation and how lacking it had been.

_Biological warfare. _

Melody knew what that was. They had given an airborne virus to Murphy and he had given it to her…She'd been so stupid for trying to help him. So, so stupid. If she would have just listened to Bellamy then none of this would have happened…

"Melody, listen. Listen to me." Clarke was there again, gently shaking her shoulder until Melody's eyes rolled in her direction. "This is going to affect you badly because your body was already under attack from the arrow wound. We need to get you into a bed, alright? You need to get off of the floor."

_The floor is good, _she thought to herself. _The floor is close. It's comfortable. Please don't make me move, Clarke. Please…_

"Damn it, Clarke." Bellamy growled, looking between the doctor and the girl laying on the floor uneasily. "Just let me get her into the bed. And then I'll go."

"_No contact._" Said Clarke seriously, shaking her head. "I can do this. Come on, Melody. We're going to stand up now, okay? Come on."

With Clarke's help, Melody slowly got to her feet, although she was groaning the whole time. Once she was up it was much easier to think. Somehow her head became clearer and her body didn't seem quite so heavy. But the pain…the pain still coursed through every inch of her body. Melody had never felt so sick in such a short amount of time. All she wanted to do was curl up and close her eyes and forget about all of this.

"There we go." Clarke said quietly, as she wrapped one arm around Melody's shoulders and kept her from falling flat on her face. "How do you feel?"

_Is that supposed to be a trick question?, _wondered Melody as she looked over at Clarke.

"Oh, I feel-"

But Melody was cut off, this time by herself. She stumbled forward and clutched at her stomach, unable to stop the steady flow of blood that spewed out of her mouth. Over and over again she vomited up the blood, causing a hearty pool of it to form at their feet. Clarke held back her hair and also somehow managed to keep Melody upright. And for that Melody was thankful.

The doctor was watching her closely, worriedly, but the worst of it was soon over. The blood finally stopped flowing and when she could catch her breath again, Melody wiped the back of her hand across her mouth and groaned softly.

"I feel like I should start listening to Bellamy more often." She whispered, giving them a weak smile.

Bellamy might have laughed, but he just didn't have the heart to do so. Instead he just stared at Melody and nodded slowly, seriously.

"I think I agree."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

Quarantine was very unpleasant.

Everyone who had brought Murphy into camp -save Octavia- had immediately come down with the fever. And the majority of the people who had been in contact with those who brought Murphy in were also showing symptoms of the illness. It seemed that everywhere you looked there was someone bleeding profusely from their eyes, their nose, their ears, or their mouths. One person, Derek, had already died from it.

Clarke had sent Octavia out to find the cure, because the younger Blake seemed immune to the virus. It'd been an hour or two since Octavia had left camp and things were only getting worse. More and more people had become sick. The tension around camp was growing thicker with each passing moment. Death loomed just above their heads, the danger more present now than ever before. They were vulnerable now in a way that they never had been before. With the majority of their people succumbing to the illness, they were weak. They were at the will of the grounders. And all they could do was sit and _wait_, because half of the campers were in no condition to put up any sort of fight.

Clarke did everything in her power to take care of the infected, but it was hard because she had also come down with the virus. That meant that Melody had to step up her game and do her best to keep the campers who were under quarantine as safe and as happy as possible. Which also wasn't easy, considering the fact that _she _had the amplified version of the virus due to the fact that her immune system was being pushed beyond its capacity.

Everyone who was sick got put on the first floor so that Clarke could keep an eye on them. All of those who had been in contact with someone who was sick but failed to show the symptoms got put up on the third floor. All of the healthy campers were told to give the dropship a wide radius and they did so gladly. Everyone outside was terrified of catching this "hemorrhagic fever", as Clarke was calling it. And those who _had_ caught it were terrified of what might happen next.

Now, the body count was already up to three.

"Hey." Melody's voice was soft as she sat down on the floor of the dropship, right next to the one and only John Murphy. "Do you need some more water?"

Right now, Melody's approach was the old "kill them with kindness." Yeah, Murphy may have done some bad things but they _all _had done some bad things. Melody was bound and determined to be the bigger person here. She was willing to let bygones be bygones even though no one else had been so forgiving. Murphy had suffered enough over the last few months. His torture had been drawn out and it had been painful. His suffering didn't erase the things he had done, but karma was a real bitch.

"No." Murphy shook his head slightly. "I'm fine."

"You're _not _fine." Argued Melody with a small frown. None of them were really _fine,_ but they were doing the best they could. "Drink," said Melody as she handed Murphy the bottle that had been hooked to her belt.

"Thank you." Murphy muttered as he took the aluminum bottle and slowly began to unscrew the top off of it. His hands were still shaking slightly, but Melody guessed that it was a side-effect of the fever. There seemed to be _lots _of side-effects.

"Don't mention it." She leaned back against the wall with a soft sigh, allowing her eyes to slip shut for a moment or two.

Sleep had been nearly impossible this morning, despite the fact that Melody was completely exhausted. Although she had agreed to stay in bed, Melody had quickly been forced to go back on her word in order to help Clarke. There were just so many patients and not enough people willing to help out. She had given up her bed for one of the sick campers when the outbreak had first happened, and since then Melody had been on her feet non-stop.

"Think it'll pass soon?" Murphy asked. He wiped his mouth with his sleeve before capping the bottle once more and handing it back to Melody.

"Maybe." She shrugged her shoulders slightly and fastened the water bottle to her belt. "How do you feel?"

"I feel…better. Stopped coughing up blood about fifteen minutes ago." Murphy informed her, mimicking her actions and shrugging his shoulders. "Not much, but it's a start."

"That's good. _Really _good. If the virus can spread quickly, maybe it can run its course quickly. Maybe we have a chance of actually putting up a decent fight." Melody was hopeful.

"Yeah, maybe." Said Murphy, who sounded less than convinced.

They sat there, side-by-side, thinking about the fever and how much trouble it was causing them. At least half of the campers had already been infected or exposed. The other half stood outside, most of them armed to the teeth, waiting for an attack that may or may not come. If the grounders had let an infected Murphy escape in order to cause panic among the 100, then they had succeeded.

There was the sound of shouting.

The body count was up to _four _now.

"How do _you _feel?" Asked Murphy after a few beats of silence. "Clarke said you've got it bad."

"Oh, I'm fine." Melody replied immediately, out of habit. "The fever is just a little harder on my body because it's still trying to heal from the _last _grounder attack."

"I heard about that. You got shot?"

"With an arrow." Melody pulled up her shirt and revealed her injured side. A fine line of stitches ran diagonally across her ivory skin.

"Holy shit." He sounded impressed as he stared at her wound for a few moments. His reaction would be priceless if he could see how it looked that first day. "How are you still functioning?"

"Like I said, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

"Well I am."

"Are you sure?"

"_Yes._"

"You need to rest, Melody." Murphy advised as he watched her carefully. "Bellamy's going to have an aneurism when he finds out that you're not in bed."

"You need to shut up, Murphy, before I change my mind and sit somewhere else." She replied, rolling her eyes at him and his unnecessary advice. If she wanted a lecture than she would talk to Bellamy or Clarke.

"Just saying…the queen's the most valuable player, right? The queen is the one who protects the king." He said, giving her a rather knowing look that made Melody antsy. "In other words, you die and shit's going to get ten times worse."

"First of all, this isn't a game of chess and I'm _not_ the queen." Corrected Melody. "Besides, I have no intention of dying today."

"Yeah, well, neither did Derek."

Melody scowled at Murphy, crossing both arms tightly over her chest, definitely re-thinking this whole "second chance" thing. Deep down, she knew that Murphy was right. Melody _could _use a little time for herself. But how was she supposed to relax when things were so crazy? Yesterday morning she had been itching for an excuse to get up and help out around camp. And she had certainly gotten her wish, even if the circumstances were a bit different than what she had in mind.

"Four of my people have died so far." Melody said, shaking her head remorsefully as she thought about Derek and the others. "And there's nothing I can do to stop it. How do you expect me to rest at a time like this, Murphy?"

"Don't worry about it. Your king and the princess will sort this whole mess out. The good guys always win." Murphy assured her. The words sounded more mocking than comforting, but Melody had come to learn that Murphy had only two settings; sassy and sassier.

"If you ask me, there are no good guys. Only bad guys and worse guys." She said, turning her head slightly so that they were face-to-face.

This thought was one that had been bothering Melody for a while now, ever since the day Bellamy had brought Lincoln into camp with the intention to torture him for information. How could they call themselves the "good guys" after something like that? And less than a week ago they'd gone to that bridge on a mission to kill. And they _did _kill. Melody herself had killed several grounders. Several _human beings. _Did she still qualify as a "good guy" despite all of the blood on her hands?

Hell, was she ever a good guy? Were _any _of them?

It seemed that the good guys -who were, in all sense of the world, delinquents- were slowly crossing that invisible line that separated them from the rest of the world. Each day brought more death and destruction and it was beginning to take its toll. Some of them had killed. A lot of them carried guns or knives. Most of them were willing to do whatever it took to live another day. Those who weren't had yet to cross that line, but they _would _get there.

The good guys were evolving. They were turning into people that they didn't even recognize. Melody just hoped that no matter how bad it got, they would be able to tell the difference between good and bad, between right and wrong. She hoped that if anything, they all kept what little common decency they might have.

"Oh yeah?" Murphy smirked at Melody, seemingly amused by her words. "And what am I? Bad guy or worse guy?"

"You're undetermined." She said with a small shrug. Melody was surprised by how honest her answer was. It was hard to place John Murphy in one category or the other, especially when she had seen what he was capable of.

"Well if you ask me," He began, sarcastically quoting Melody's earlier words, "there's no questioning what category I belong in. I'm one of the worse guys and no little "heart-to-heart" between the two of us is going to change that. Everyone knows what kind of guy I am."

_No_, thought Melody. _We know what kind of guy you've __**been. **_

But, as always, she couldn't say this aloud.

"Well, then it's a good thing I didn't ask you." Melody gave him a rather cheeky grin and slowly pushed herself up, so that she was standing on unsteady legs once more. "It's been a nice "heart-to-heart", Murphy, but I've got work to do."

Murphy stared up at her for a long while, saying nothing. He just watched her with those untrusting blue eyes, as if he were trying to figure her out. And it made Melody kind of sad that he thought everyone had to have an ulterior motive.

"Yeah. See ya." Murphy said finally, his gaze dropping once more as he settled back in his corner and closed his eyes.

Melody turned away from him and slowly made her way towards the dropship door. As she walked by, Mel saw several campers who were in various states of distress. It pained her to see everyone like this, but there was nothing she could do to help ease their suffering. All she could do was walk around and offer a few kind words, which were not nearly as effective as actual medicine would have been.

She pushed open the curtain-like door and squinted against the sudden onslaught of light. Melody only managed to stumble another step or two before she was forced to lean heavily against the doorframe. Her green eyes surveyed the area closely for a few moments and she was glad to see that the rest of camp was functioning properly despite all of the crazy that was going down inside of the dropship. The guards were still guarding, the survivors were still surviving, and even the leaders were still leading.

"Everything alright in there, Melody?" Asked Clarke, once she noticed that she was no longer alone on the dropship's platform, which was the cut-off area for the sick people. They weren't allowed to venture any further into camp.

"Things are good." She nodded and managed a weak smile that didn't quite meet her eyes.

"You alright, sweetheart?" Called Bellamy, who was standing a few feet away from them, just to be safe. "You need anything?"

"I'm good, Bellamy." Melody flashed him a thumbs-up.

He nodded his head and then his gaze shifted. Suddenly he was looking past Melody, towards the entrance to the dropship. After a second or two he called, "Octavia, you okay?"

Melody and Clarke exchanged a worried look. No one had informed Bellamy of Octavia's departure because they knew that he wouldn't approve. He hated the fact that she was so wrapped up in Lincoln. But there really was no one else that could go and ask him for such favors. It _had _to be Octavia.

"Bellamy, wait." Said Clarke as the elder Blake began to approach the dropship. "She's not here. I sent her to see Lincoln."

His gaze darkened with anger and there was that familiar fire in his eyes as he looked between the two of them slowly. Melody knew that he was on the verge of losing his shit. The last few days had been an emotional roller-coaster. All he wanted was for his sister to be safe and secure, right where he'd left her. But things never really went the way Bellamy wanted them to. _Especially _if Melody and Clarke were involved.

"He's our only chance." Pointed out Melody softly.

"If there's a cure, he has it." Clarke added.

It seemed like an eternity before Bellamy spoke. He just stood there, jaw clenched, looking like he was ready to let both of them have it. And he probably was, but his common sense kept him from lashing out towards either one of them.

"If anything happens to her, you and me are going to have problems." Bellamy warned Clarke seriously, his gruff words holding an unspoken threat that made Melody shiver. Or maybe that was just the fever. She couldn't really tell.

He stormed off then, angry or annoyed, or maybe even both.

"Bellamy." Clarke called after him, her voice a weak protest at best. "_Bellamy._"

He didn't answer. Instead, he walked over to wear the firewood was being stored and began barking orders at some kid, who was in his way. When the guy turned around to obey the command he was given, everyone gasped in surprise. Blood was slowly dripping down his face. Somehow, he had caught the fever.

Everything seemed to be happening at once. People were gasping and yelling and guns were being pointed towards the sick kid. No one wanted to catch his fever, but it wasn't _his _fault. The poor guy looked terrified as he just stood there, wiping the blood from his eyes in a confused manner. Bellamy was urging him towards the dropship, and the kid was going willingly.

But suddenly, one infected camper turned into two. A girl began to fall, and at the same time she managed to upheave a bunch of blood, which splattered onto the face of the camper next to her. He was screaming and walking towards the other campers, desperate for help. Guns were suddenly pointed in his direction and the panic was only growing stronger.

"It's on me!"

"Oh my god! Oh my god, it touched me!"

"Get back! Stay _back._"

"Calm down!"

It was absolute chaos. Those who had guns pointed them in every direction, trying to ward of the sick. Those who didn't have guns covered their faces and huddled up with one another, looking around desperately. Finn and Raven moved among the crowd, trying to get people to lower their weapons, but it was no use. Everyone was shouting and shrieking and freaking out in a way that Melody had never seen.

"Clarke…what're you doing?" Melody asked, watching in confusion as the doctor turned around and headed into the dropship. "Clarke?"

It was only a matter of moments before she emerged once more, gun in hand. Melody's eyes widened slightly as she watched Clarke stride forward with a determined look on her face. She held the gun up in one hand as she walked slowly, sluggishly.

Clarke fired into the air once, then twice, then three times. The sound of the gunshots stopped the screaming and instead it caused all of the campers to turn their wide-eyed stares towards the girl with the gun. Clarke walked forward, each step small and calculated, but sloppy. It was like she was doing her best just to get from point A to point B.

Melody trailed behind hesitantly, not wanting to be left behind. It wasn't as difficult for her now. Her limbs no longer felt so heavy and her body was no longer sluggish. In fact, she felt a little bit better than she had all morning. Maybe it was a good sign, or maybe it was just her adrenaline going into over-drive.

"This is exactly what the grounders want." Said Clarke slowly, looking at the group with a serious, no-nonsense expression written across her face. "Don't you see that? They don't have to kill us if we kill each other first."

"They won't have to kill us if we all catch the virus." Shouted an angry-looking guy. He stepped forward, gun aimed for Clarke's head. "Get back in the damn dropship!"

Bellamy came up from behind and grabbed the gun out of the guy's hand. He gripped it tightly and thrust it backwards, causing the gun to slam into the guy's throat. The guy stumbled backwards, gasping and trying to catch his breath as he retreated into the safety of the crowd.

Bellamy then turned his attention to Clarke and frowned before speaking softly. "Not to state the obvious, but your quarantine isn't working."

Clarke didn't respond.

At that moment she began to fall backwards, blue eyes fluttering shut. The sickness was finally taking its toll and she was too weak to carry on. Melody let out a soft cry, thinking that the other girl was going to collapse and hit the ground. But at the last minute Finn swooped in and caught Clarke, picking her up in his arms and holding her, consequences be damned.

"Hey, I'm okay." Protested Clarke softly as she looked up at Finn. She had a disapproving frown on her face when she realized exactly what he was doing. He was holding her, _touching _her, and by doing so he was subjecting himself to the virus.

"You're not okay." Finn whispered, shaking his head.

"Octavia will bring back the cure." Clarke sounded so sure of herself.

Melody watched the two of them for a moment, and then her gaze flickered towards the crowd. Dozens of frightened kids stared back at her with wide-eyed, worried expressions on their faces. None of them knew what was going to happen next. They didn't know how they were going to make it through this dark period. All they knew was that they were putting all of their faith on a curse that may or may not exist.

But they didn't give up.

_They're so brave, _she admired silently, watching them with a newfound fascination. _Brave little soldiers. Wielding their guns proudly and wearing their game-faces boldly. They're prepared to fight a war that they cannot possible win. Yet they don't complain._

She was proud of them all. Proud of their ability to carry on and proud of their spirit. Even in times like this, times when there seemed to be no light at the end of this everlasting tunnel, they did their best. They had momentary lapses -like that crazy scene that went down just minutes prior- but in the end they were united. One front, standing against whatever danger may lay outside of the camp's walls. One people, there to support and lean on one another. One Hundred, the kids who had made it. And nothing was going to break them.

Not even Octavia, the bearer of bad news, who arrived just then.

"There is no cure!" Octavia declared breathlessly as she pushed her way through the crowd that had gathered. Her hazel eyes were full of regret and something akin to guilt as she looked around the group slowly. It seemed that Octavia hadn't been successful in getting them their cure. It seemed that they were doomed. Until she spoke again, "But the grounders don't use the sickness to kill."

"Really? Tell that to _them._" Bellamy swept his arm out, gesturing to the four dead bodies that lay near the entrance to the dropship.

Octavia saw the bodies and she frowned. Swallowing thickly, she closed her hazel eyes for a fraction of a second and then opened them again. She looked squarely at Bellamy, waiting for him to continue.

"I warned you about seeing that grounder again." Bellamy said, stepping closer to Octavia. His voice was hard and threatening as he stared at his younger sister.

"Yeah? Well I have a warning for you, too." Octavia looked back at him for a few moments before her gaze flickered around the small crowd. "The grounders are coming."

There were gasps of surprise and confusion as everyone processed her words. Even Melody suddenly felt a little faint, and she was forced to grip a nearby tree to steady herself. This was it, this was what she had been waiting for. The grounders had sent Murphy in to weaken the playing field and now they were going to swoop in to end things. She had known it would only be a matter of time. War could only end one of two ways, and it was clear that they were fighting a losing battle.

Octavia had one more bit of bad news for everyone to digest; the cherry on top of a horrible day. "And they're attacking at first light."

|oOo|

"Melody, let me help."

"Clarke, you need to rest." Melody insisted, standing at the doctor's bedside with her arms crossed over her chest in a determined manner. She looked down at Clarke seriously, feeling odd now that the roles were reversed.  
"Melody." Clarke looked up at her pleadingly from where she sat, half-sitting up in the hammock-style bed. It was killing Clarke to just lay there while everyone else needed to be taken care of, but so far she hadn't been fighting them too hard.

"Don't you _Melody _me." Replied Mel with a roll of her eyes. "Just get some rest and let us worry about taking care of the other campers. We can handle it."

"I know. I just hate not being able to do anything." Clarke said softly. She slowly lowered herself back down onto the bed and lay there, as she had been instructed to do so many times over the last several hours.

"Trust me, I know the feeling."

Melody was _finally_ starting to feel better after hours upon hours of being sick. The good news was that the virus lasted less than 24 hours. The bad news was that it spread quickly, which meant that at least half of their people were cooped up in the dropship. And out of everyone, only Murphy and Melody had successfully defeated the virus so far. Which meant that they were healthy enough to care for the rest of the sick campers, but not so healthy that they could be re-introduced to the outside world.

It was _not _very fun.

Octavia was also helping them, because she was somehow immune to the virus. Finn was immune as well, but he was busy working with Raven and Bellamy. They had spent all afternoon and half of the night making as many bullets as they possibly could. Finn had also come and told them the news that Raven was going to make them a bomb to take out the bridge, so that they could at least attempt to delay the inevitable attack. Melody wasn't sure how _that _was going to go down, but she had faith in Raven. She had to have faith; without her faith, Melody would drive herself crazy with worry.

"Have you heard anything?" Asked Clarke, looking up at Melody with curious, blue eyes.

"Not recently." Melody shook her head slightly. "Last I heard, Raven was in the process of building the bomb."

"Well…camp hasn't blown up yet. That's a plus." Clarke managed a weak laugh, which then triggered an ugly fit of coughing.

"Yeah, that is a plus." Agreed Melody. After a few moments of silence, she continued, "Do you think she can do it?"

"I think so." Clarke nodded firmly. "Raven's smart. You watched her build us that communication system from nothing."

"Yeah, but…a bomb? It's gotta be tricky, and it's extremely dangerous." Melody frowned and shrugged her shoulders, still not very confident about the whole situation.

"Relax, Mel. Raven was trained on the Ark, remember? She knows what she's doing. If anyone can blow up that bridge it's her." Reassured Clarke. "And we need to do our part by getting everyone into fighting shape as soon as possible."

"You're right." Melody nodded, deciding not to voice any more of her concerns for the time being. "We need to focus on taking care of the sick and injured. Although I don't see them being ready to fight any time soon, Clarke. This virus is kicking our asses. Big time."

Clarke frowned and pursed her lips for a moment or two before speaking. "If you and Murphy can beat it, so can the rest of us. We just need a little extra time."

"We're living on borrowed time as it is." Melody said.

"You think I don't _know _that?" Clarke frowned and slowly ran a hand down her face, as if overwhelmed.

"I'm sorry." Melody hadn't meant to dump all of this on Clarke, especially now.

"It's not you. It's just…everything." Clarke sighed heavily. "We can't catch a freaking break."

"You're telling me." Muttered Melody, who crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "We're losing this war, Clarke. And it's barely begun."

Clarke never seemed to lose hope. "If Raven can make the bomb then it'll buy us the time we need to get back on our feet."

_Yeah, __**if**__, _thought Melody.

But what she said was, "Yeah, maybe. I guess we'll just have to take it one step at a time. Right now, let's just focus on the task at hand."

It was easier said than done.

"Melody." Octavia called to her from where she was tending to a sick camper on the other side of the dropship. "We're going to need more water."

Green eyes flickered towards the water bucket, which was nearly empty now. Keeping everyone hydrated was the number one concern. Clarke had instructed them to administer water regularly since it seemed to be the only thing that they _could_ do. With the number of campers that they currently had in the dropship, the water supply was going quickly.

"Duty calls." Clarke said quietly, blue eyes fluttering shut as she settled back down into her make-shift bed.

"Yeah, okay." Melody nodded, speaking more to herself than to anyone else as she stepped forward and grabbed the bucket. "I'll be right back." Without waiting for a reply, Melody ducked out of the dropship and into the night.

It seemed that the stars and the moon were shining brighter than ever before, cutting through the veil of darkness and shedding some light on their little camp. The air was crisp and cool against her flushed skin, causing Melody to shiver in the most delicious way. The silence that hung over camp was chilling, yet it also instilled a sense of serenity. Melody couldn't recall a more beautiful night on Earth.

Somehow, being outside made her feel ten times better than she had while in the dropship.

Melody wanted nothing more than to prolong her time outside of the tightly-packed ship, but she knew that the water was desperately needed for the sick patients. And if she didn't get it, who would? Octavia was busy trying to take care of everyone in the dropship since she was the only healthy person willing to get within ten feet of the place. Murphy was helping, too, but no one really trusted him with the big things. No one really trusted him _at all_. So that left Melody, who was just strong enough to take on tasks like this one.

"I'm getting water!" Melody called out, alerting the non-sick campers of her presence since the quarantine was still in effect. The last thing she needed was a trigger-happy camper and a gun pointed at her head. "Don't mind me."

No one so much as batted an eyelash in her direction.

Melody bent over the huge water basin, the one where they stored their main supply. Melody dipped the smaller bucket into it, making sure to fill it most of the way. It took a lot of effort to pick the bucket up once it was full. Normally this wouldn't have bothered her, but with the sickness…Melody's arms shook violently as she tightened her grip on the edges of the bucket. She took a small step forward, and then another. Each step was carefully placed, but Melody still managed to slosh around and spill some of the water.

The walk back to the dropship was slow and steady. Mel regretted not having Murphy do the heavy lifting since he was on the fast road to recovery. The strain was causing her arms and her back to ache painfully, but what was a little more pain on top of everything else? The good news was that she managed to save the majority of the water, and for that Melody was rather proud.

Melody walked into the dropship and set the bucket down on the floor immediately. Leaning heavily against the wall, she sighed and turned her attention towards Octavia. "Next time, ask Murphy to…" She trailed off as she saw whose bedside Octavia was currently kneeling beside.

Bellamy lay on one of the sleeping bags, his chest rapidly rising and falling and his face smeared with blood. His dark hair was messy and disheveled, standing up at odd angles. Familiar brown eyes were void of any spark they may have once held. He looked…_weak. _Melody had never seen Bellamy in such a vulnerable state before. It chilled her to the bone, leaving her both breathless and anxious.

"Oh my god. He's sick." Melody's voice was soft and shaky as she hesitated near the entrance, her feet firmly rooted to the spot. "He caught the virus."

"You don't miss much." Murphy was suddenly standing beside her. He bent down and picked up the bucket full of water that Melody had on the ground. "He just came down with it. He's only been in here for a few minutes. It'll get better, Melody. It almost always gets better."

_Almost always_, she thought. _Unless you're Derek or Shae or Toby or Johnson. If you're like them, it doesn't get better. You just die. _

"This can't be happening." Melody whispered, shaking her head from side to side slowly, as if in a trance. "First Clarke, now Bellamy…"

Two of the strongest people she knew -their _leaders_\- were both lying in bed, defenseless. Melody had been able to handle Clarke succumbing to the illness because they still had Bellamy to look out for them. Now what? If the grounders attacked now, there would be nothing to stop them from slaughtering everyone in camp. Melody's faith was hanging on by a thread now, about ready to fall. It was now that she realized that her faith had never truly been in _Raven_; the engineer was merely a pawn. Melody had placed her true faith in their king a long time ago.

"Relax, Mel." Octavia turned her head slightly to the side and gave Melody a pointed look that told her to keep herself in check _or else._ "Everything is going to be alright."

"Octavia…" She trailed off again, shaking her head.

There were no words to describe how utterly helpless Melody felt in that moment. All she could do was sit by and watch as Bellamy wasted away in front of her very eyes. There was no cure for this virus, nor was there any medicine. All they could do was _wait._

"Melody?" Bellamy whispered, his voice sounded hoarse and broken; a common side effect of the virus.

Melody drew in a ragged breath and forced herself to close the distance between the two of them. She knelt down by his side and reached out, entwining their fingers. Mel gave his hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze and did her best to smile despite the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Even if she didn't feel brave, she had to act like she was. Bellamy had been brave for her when she needed it most, and she would be damned if she didn't return the favor.

"I'm here." Mel said quietly, tilting her head to the side as she looked down at him with a less than convincing smile in place. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."

"Go." He shook his head and tried to push her away, but to no avail. He wasn't strong enough to do much more than give her a weak nudge. "You need to get out of here."

"Bellamy, what are you talking about?" She frowned down at him, confused. "I'm not going _anywhere._" Mel repeated, her words sounding stronger the second time around.

"Melody _please. _You need to get out of camp." Bellamy insisted, his voice weak but urgent. "I can't protect you."

"Then I guess _I'll _just have to protect _you._" Melody was determined. "There's no way I'm leaving you here, Bellamy. Not now, not after everything we've been through."

"But Melody-"

"No." She shook her head. "We're in this together. Always."

He stared up at her, saying nothing for a few moments. And Melody stared right back down at him, unwilling to give up so easily. She couldn't just leave camp and let everyone else suffer. And if Bellamy thought she was going to do something that cowardly, then he obviously didn't know the first thing about her. Melody was going to stay and fight even if it killed her….which it probably would.

But what was the alternative? Earth was a vast, terrifying planet and Melody couldn't handle it all on her own. There was nothing for her outside of this camp, outside of these people. Delinquents or not, they were her friends and her family. This camp was the only home she had ever known. Melody would stay and defend them until the very end.

Hopefully, it wouldn't come to that.

"We can do this, okay?" Melody continued, doing her best to be reassuring although it was extremely hard given their current situation. "Raven's plan is kick-ass. She hasn't let us down yet. And if all else fails then it'll be up to me and my mad archery skills."

Bellamy couldn't help but to crack a smile at her words. "You and your mad archery skills." He repeated, nodding his head slowly. "Ain't that the truth?"

"I learned from the best." She reminded him gently with a short shrug. "So…what do you say? Can we tough it out?"

Bellamy watched her for a few more moments before he nodded his head and pierced her with an intense, smoldering stare. "Together. Always."

That was exactly what she needed to hear.

Suddenly, Melody felt strong enough to take on the whole grounder army.


	26. Chapter 26

_You'd better be prepared for the cutest chapter of the whole entire story, folks. _

**Chapter Twenty Six**

"He's finally asleep." Melody sighed softly as she fell backwards and landed in a crumpled heap on top of one of the foreign, uncomfortable mattresses that had been pushed to the far end of the dropship, away from the rest of the sick campers. This small zone was dedicated to those who were either immune to the virus or who had beaten it already. So far, the grand total was at four people.

The last few hours had slowly ticked by, each more painful than the last. True to her word, Melody had stayed by Bellamy's side the entire time. They both hated being helpless and defenseless, but there was nothing that they could do to make those feelings of desperation go away. Instead, they decided to make the best of their current situation.

It was funny how just being near Bellamy could make her feel a million times better. Every time doubt had begun to consume her, all Melody had to do was look down at their clasped hands and she was immediately brought back to reality. _Together. Always. _Those weren't just words; it was a promise. It was the beginning of something that Melody couldn't even begin to understand. It was the beginning of _them_, of Bellamy and Melody, as something that was larger than life itself.

It was the beginning of something worth fighting for.

"It's about time." Replied Octavia, who was sitting gently on the edge of the same bed. O's arms rested across her bent knees as she gazed across the room, keeping a watchful eye out for anything that may require her attention. "We're going to need him healthy. We're going to need _all of them_ healthy in order to stand a chance against the grounders."

"Right now, I don't care about the war." Said an exhausted Melody, who had spent the last 48 hours in a constant state of frenzy and panic. "I'm just glad that our people are safe."

"For how long? If -and that's a big _if_\- we can blow up the bridge, then what? Blowing up the bridge isn't going to stop the grounders from attacking. It's not going to stop them from waging a war against us. It's just going to delay the inevitable." Octavia pointed out. "We're not safe; not really."

_Wow, _thought Melody in surprise as something suddenly dawned on her. _Where is my reckless, fun-loving Octavia? What happened to the girl who swam with sea serpents and chased butterflies? When did she grow up? _

It seemed that all of this stress was beginning to take its toll on the youngest Blake. Melody had been so wrapped up in herself lately that she hadn't stopped to think about how Octavia was being affected by all of this. Right now her brother, the only family she had, was battling a potentially deadly virus that had already taken a handful of lives. All of her friends were either infected with said virus or out risking their lives in an attempt to blow up the bridge. The man she loved was on the opposing side of the battlefield, straining their star-crossed lovers' relationship all the more. And Octavia herself was being forced to grow up in ways none of them had thought imaginable.

Her days of chasing butterflies were long gone.

"We're always going to be living day-to-day, O. Nothing is going to change that." Melody shrugged half-heartedly, doing her absolute best to keep an optimistic outlook on the current situation despite her best friend's rather negative approach. After a few beats of silence, green eyes fluttered shut and a quiet sigh escaped from between slightly parted lips. "At least we're safe for tonight."

Or were they?

When it came to Earth nothing was guaranteed. They were safe right now, in this very instant, but Octavia did pose a very good question; for how long could they remain "safe" when safety was such an inconsistent state of being. It was no secret that they could all die tomorrow, grounder style, or they could live to the ripe old ages of seventy or eighty. One outcome seemed more likely than the other, but nothing was set in stone, which was both a blessing and a curse.

There was a brief moment of hesitation and then Octavia's shoulders slumped slightly, in a rather defeated manner as she finally gave up her notion that they must all be battle-ready before the sun came up. "Yeah…I guess you're right. Better take advantage of it while we still can." Admitted Octavia with a gentle, likeminded nod.

They were silent then.

Melody was thinking about how much her life had changed since that very first day. She had come down to Earth scared and alone, worried about how -and if- she was going to survive. Jasper had been her saving grace, really. He was the one who comforted Melody, who saw her through the crash-landing and then the first few days on Earth. And there was Monty, of course, whose friendly and light-hearted demeanor had drawn Melody to him immediately. Melody had been weary -and perhaps a bit jealous- of Octavia in the beginning, but now the two of them had become vital part of one another's' lives. Clarke had been a good friend to Melody despite the fact that the two of them had their differences, and now they were working on patching up their relationship. Finn and Melody hadn't always gotten along, but now they realized that it was easier to rely on one another than to rely on themselves. Raven, although initially treated like an outsider by Melody, had become a good and trustworthy friend.

And then there was Bellamy.

Could words even begin to describe what the two of them shared? It was unlike anything that she had ever felt before. It was something deeper, something more complex than the bond that she shared with the rest of them. There was just something about Bellamy Blake that drew her to him, like a moth to a flame. She didn't need the rest of them like she needed Bellamy. Melody needed Bellamy like she needed air, and that was saying something considering she had spent most of her life on the Ark being deprived of oxygen. As far as Melody was concerned, a life without Bellamy Blake was no longer a life worth living…and that scared the hell out of her.

"Thank you for helping me with Bellamy tonight. I couldn't have handled it without you, Mel." Said Octavia suddenly, as if she could read Melody's very thoughts on the matter. There was a sincerity behind her words that did not go unnoticed, a sincerity that warmed Melody's heart.

"It's no big deal, O. I was glad to help." Melody said honestly. "Bellamy took care of me when I was hurt. It was the least I could do to repay the favor."

Without missing a beat, Octavia said, "He really cares about you. And I know you care about him, too."

_Way to be subtle, Octavia, _thought Melody, slightly amused. _There's nothing like jumping right in._

"I care about all of you." Melody shrugged her shoulders easily, but the deeper meaning behind Octavia's words were not lost on her. Brushing off Octavia's comments was much easier than being honest about what was going on between her and Bellamy. It suddenly seemed so frightening to say aloud the words that she barely dared to think. Her feelings about Bellamy were complex, but they were definitely strong. Stronger than the feelings she had towards the rest of the people in camp _combined._

"Don't play coy with _me_, Melody Pond." Octavia narrowed her eyes in a playful manner when she spoke, obviously not intending to beat around the bush. "I'm your best friend, remember? I know the words you're too afraid to say."

"Then why should I bother saying them?" Countered Melody, arching a quizzical brow in question. Once again, she was doing her best to avoid the conversation. "Seems like a waste of breath to me."

"Saying it will make it real." Octavia insisted.

"It already is real, O." _It's real to me, anyways._

"You like him." Octavia wasn't asking, she was outright stating the fact. Her smile was broadening, turning into a goofy grin that she just couldn't contain. "You _like like _him."

"Like like? We aren't in second grade anymore, Octavia." Melody rolled her eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed by the fact that O continued to press the matter. It was just Octavia and Melody knew that everything she said would remain between the two of them, but it was still frightening to confirm her feelings for anyone, let alone Bellamy Blake.

"Come on, Mellie! Admit it!" Octavia's voice was rising slightly as her excitement -and her grin- grew. "Admit that you've fallen for my pain-in-the-ass older brother."

"Shh!" Melody hissed, nudging Octavia rather sharply. "Would you be quiet?"

"Oh my gosh. I knew it. I _knew _it." Octavia looked over towards where Bellamy lay fast asleep on his mattress, just a few feet away from the two of them.

"Octavia, _please._" Melody fought the strange urge she had to giggle as she watched Octavia make a skeptical of herself. Not that it mattered, since 99% of the campers were barely coherent.

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry." But she wasn't really sorry. "You have to tell me all about it, Melody. I mean…wow. You and _Bellamy._"

"There isn't much to tell." Now Melody was grinning as well, her embarrassment overridden by her excitement about some real "girl talk." Even if the girl she was talking to just so happened to be the baby sister to the object of her affection.

"You're such a liar. There's a lot to tell, Melody." Octavia scoffed and gave her a chiding look, obviously milking this bit of juicy information for all that it was worth. "When we got down here, you two absolutely hated each other. What happened?"

"Well…" Melody trailed off and shrugged, thinking.

What _had _happened?

For a long, long time Melody had despised him. She had thought that Bellamy Blake was arrogant and manipulative and just downright mean. All Melody had seen was a bully, a man who ruled by fear. Bellamy was constantly doing things that made Melody angry. He manhandled her, talked down to her, threatened to kill Jasper, forcefully removed Melody's wristband…just to name a few. Melody would never have foreseen herself becoming Bellamy's friend, let alone something _more _than that.

Things started to change, Melody realized, the night of Charlotte's death. For a while she and Bellamy had been a united front, two people working towards the same goal. And Melody had realized that they made one kick-ass team. Even though things hadn't gone in their favor that night, Melody had gained his friendship. And it had lasted for all of one night before Bellamy completely shattered every bit of trust she put into him.

Although she hadn't realized it at the time, Bellamy revealing Melody's secret was a good thing. It seemed that Melody needed to fall apart in order to put herself back together properly. Bellamy's revelation had crumbled her world -oh boy, did it crumble- but it had also begun the foundation for a new one. A new world where Melody wasn't some weak, spineless little girl who broke down and pitied herself just because her childhood had been a little dark. No, it gave promise to a new world where she was stronger, where she could come out on top; Melody _always _came out on top.

It was the bow that really sealed the deal. It had been a peace offering, something to show that Bellamy regretted telling her secret. Melody had taken that bow and with it she had taken a bit of his trust. In that moment, she had become the protector. The defender of their people. And that meant more to her than anything else.

Over the last few months Melody had grown and learned a lot about herself. And Bellamy had been right there beside her; he was the one who taught her. Things between them had been changing rapidly and they'd been changing for a lot longer than Melody realized. There was a fine line between love and hatred, a line that the two of them had been teetering on for far too long.

And now she was ready to jump.

"I don't know. I guess it just happened." Melody smiled apologetically and shrugged her shoulders as if to say, 'what can you do about it?' It didn't just happen, though. Their relationship had been a work in progress from the very beginning and after a lot of heartache and dedication, they were finally right where they needed to be. And as much as Melody loved Octavia, she chose to keep this knowledge just between herself and Bellamy.

"I'm so glad he has you, Melody." Said Octavia sincerely. Her eyes were alight with excitement and happiness, her smile radiant enough to shed some light on a day even as dark as the one they had recently endured. Octavia was genuinely happy about all of this, and that just made Melody feel even better about things. "I know Bel might be a bit of a fixer-upper, but he's worth it. I think you already know that."

"Yeah." Melody nodded and turned her head to look at Bellamy, who was still fast asleep. A smile curved her lips as she watched him for a few moments, unable to shake the feeling of_ home_, of _security_ that she got whenever she looked at him. "I know."

|oOo|

Hour after hour passed with no word from Finn or Raven. Melody began to worry, her mind wandering away with all of the horrible possibilities. They could have gotten caught or delayed or blown up alongside their homemade bomb. The only thing that kept her from truly going into all-out panic was the fact that the area around camp remained clear of grounder soldiers. If the grounders were going to attack, wouldn't they have heard or seen them by now?

The situation at camp definitely wasn't doing anything to help calm her frazzled nerves. People were still sick, but the good news was that no one had died since that morning. The body count was still only at four, which wasn't a lot in the grand scheme of things. It seemed that Lincoln's words had been honest. The grounders didn't use the sickness to kill, they just used it to weaken their enemies. Those who had died were the weakest of the weak.

Call it natural selection.

"Get the hell away from me!" Grumbled Bellamy groggily, from where he still lay on a mattress across the room. "Where's Melody?"

"Bellamy, you're sick. Take it easy. Okay?" Murphy, still playing the role of doting nurse, offered Bellamy a cup of water, giving him an almost pleading look as he did so.

"Where's Melody?" Persisted Bellamy, struggling to sit up in bed, obviously confused and annoyed by the guy who was acting so out-of-character and _nice. _Murphy might have everyone else fooled, but Bellamy was not convinced.

"Relax, she's fine. But you're _not. _Clarke says that you need to stay hydrated." Murphy continued, gently shaking the cup of water in front of Bellamy's face. "I just want to help."

Bellamy lashed out, knocking the cup of water out of Murphy's hand with enough force to send it flying across the dropship. "When I get better, if you're still here…" Bellamy trailed off threateningly, shaking his head slowly to get his point across. John Murphy was not forgiven. "Now…_where's Melody?" _

Melody chose this moment to approach the two of them. She had been on the other side of the dropship, taking care of all the sick campers. Octavia had needed a break so Melody volunteered to take over. She soon realized how big of a mistake this was when she saw how much work actually went into looking after everyone. It kept her mind preoccupied, though, so it was better than sitting around and worrying.

"Hey, I'm right here." Crooned Melody softly, brows furrowing as she knelt down beside Bellamy. Without even thinking about it she reached out and grabbed his hand, silently reassuring him that she was alright. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Echoed Bellamy. He ran a shaky hand through his tousled black hair and then sighed heavily. "What's _right?_"

Melody stared at him silently for a few moments, not knowing what to say. He _did _have a point. They didn't have much going for them right now, what with the impending war and the seemingly endless cycle of death. Life on Earth was messy and it was hard and sometimes they just felt like the whole world was against them. There were a lot of things that were wrong right now, too many of them to count.

"Us." Melody's voice was soft and hesitant when she spoke. Her green eyes peered up at Bellamy from beneath lowered lashes. The corners of her mouth quirked upwards in a shy but genuine smile. "This is right. _We're_ right…right?"

Bellamy stared back at her, brown eyes narrowing slightly. For a few moments he seemed to be processing her words, thinking that maybe he hadn't heard her correctly. And then a slow smirk spread across his face.

"Melody Pond…what are you saying?" Asked Bellamy mischievously, arching a brow in question. Even though he had purple bags under his eyes and his skin was unnaturally pale, Bellamy somehow managed to look devilishly handsome.

"Oh, shut up." Melody rolled her eyes, face flushing slightly as she turned her head, breaking eye contact. A smile played on the corner of her lips as she did her best not to laugh at his playful words and his villainous expression. "You know what I mean."

"No, go on." Urged Bellamy, moving his hand in a circular motion, a gesture that was meant to signal her to continue on with what she had been saying. "Please tell me more about '_us'._"

"Bellamy, I swear to god…Just because you're sick doesn't mean I won't deck you." Warned Melody, her words half-serious. "Don't make fun of me. I don't know how to do…this." She said, gesturing between the two of them impatiently.

"Okay, okay." Bellamy held his hands up in surrender, still grinning widely. "I won't laugh. I promise."

Melody remained silent, not convinced.

"Come on, sweetheart." Pleaded Bellamy gently, giving her a knowing look. "Just tell me what's on your mind."

_Well, if you insist…_

"You." Said Melody, without a moment's hesitation. "You're on my mind. You're on my mind _all of the goddamn time._"

There were a few beats of silence. Melody sat there staring at him, not allowing her gaze to waver. She was the one who had brought this up and she wasn't going to chicken out of it now. If Bellamy didn't have the same types of feelings towards her, well then that was his own damn problem. Melody was going to be honest and vulnerable for once if it _killed _her. And with each passing moment, she thought it just might.

But then, Bellamy spoke.

"Well that's something we have in common." He wiped the smirk off of his face and leaned forward slightly, piercing her with his overly-intense stare.

_It is? _

"Oh." Melody said softly, not expecting something like that to come out of his mouth. Actually, that was the last thing she thought he would say. "_Oh._"

Normally Bellamy was so closed-off. He was their rough and tough leader, a guy who couldn't afford to have such emotions. The only ounce of compassion he had ever shown was towards his sister, but that was to be expected. Hearing such a real and heart-felt statement coming from him…well, it made her pretty weak in the knees. Melody's throat suddenly seemed dry and her face grew hot.

"Yeah. '_Oh.'_" Repeated Bellamy, nodding his head. Those dark brown eyes bore into hers, completely captivating Melody. There was a new light in his eyes, something dark and dangerous, but also soft in a way. Gentle. The look he was giving her made Melody shiver with anticipation.

"I see." Melody cleared her throat nervously and withdrew her hand from his so that she could fold both of her hands in her lap. Green eyes watched him hesitantly, shyly for a few moments before she spoke again. "So what are we going to do about that?"

"Well…" It was Bellamy's turn to clear his throat now. One of his hands rubbed at the nape of his neck and for the first time his gaze wavered and his eyes darted around almost nervously before they found hers once more. "I was thinking we'd do _this._"

One of his hands cupped her chin gently as Bellamy leaned forward, moving in what seemed like slow motion. For a few moments he pierced her with that smoldering look, the one that always made her heartbeat quicken. And then, he was smirking at her for a fraction of a second before Melody watched as his brown eyes fluttered shut. Bellamy leaned towards her, continuing to come closer and closer, until he was impossibly close to her.

And still he didn't stop.

Strangely enough, Melody found herself leaning into him. The weariness that she had expected to feel when put into such a situation was all but nonexistent. There was no fear and there was no hesitancy. Instead, she was fueled by something much, _much _more intense than the pain that she had forced to endure in the past; she was fueled by _passion. _

Their lips met and it was nothing like Melody had imagined. Bellamy wasn't rough and demanding like she knew he could be. Instead, he was soft and he was sweet and he was patient. His lips were gentle as they brushed against hers, his kiss as light as a feather and sweeter than anything she had ever known.

The world seemed to fade away, as cheesy as it sounded. All Melody could focus on was Bellamy and the feeling of utter _completeness _that she felt the moment he kissed her. It was like she hadn't even known that there was something missing before, but now that she had that missing piece…something clicked.

The underlying emptiness that she had always felt before was gone. The lingering guilt and the feeling of helplessness that had been with her since that tragic day long ago when something had been stolen from her that she would never get back seemed to disappear. There was no hesitation now, and there was no doubt. Melody knew that this was right. She could feel it in her mind, in her heart, her gut, her _soul. _

He had finally done it.

He had single-handedly slayed her demons.

"That was…wow." Melody whispered as she pulled away, her heart and mind both racing a mile a minute. A breathless laugh escaped from between her parted lips, which were red and slightly swollen. Her fingertips brushed against her lips gently and she shook her head, unable to believe that he had actually _kissed _her. "_Wow._"

"Yeah." Agreed Bellamy, sounding just as breathless as he stared back at her, gaze dark. He was looking at her differently now. It was like he was seeing her for the first time, not as the girl he had known, but as the woman he was just beginning to discover. "Wow about sums it up."

But "wow" didn't even begin to cover it.


	27. Chapter 27

_First of all, yay for the reviews! I love them all. I love hearing what you guys have to say about the story, so feel free to voice your opinions. Second of all, I highly suggest checking out the Spotify playlist which I have posted on my little profile thing because it is amazing. On my profile you will also find a certain gift that Melody gives to Bellamy in this chapter. _

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

"It's dawn." Melody slowly lowered herself down beside Bellamy, who was sitting on the piece of metal that served as both a door and make-shift ramp for the dropship. He'd been out here for hours now, preferring to spend the wee hours of the morning outside of the over-crowded dropship now that he was finally deemed strong enough to get released from bedrest.

Bellamy's knees were drawn up to his chest and his arms were wrapped around them, probably in an attempt to stave off the particularly cold morning. There was a faraway look in his eyes that suggested his mind was elsewhere, occupied with heavy thoughts. But once Melody sat down beside him, Bellamy made it a point to reach out for her. Although it was still strange, Melody welcomed the feeling of his large hand wrapping around her much smaller one as their fingers entwined, fitting together like two puzzle pieces.

"I don't hear anything." Said Bellamy, his gaze focused on the treeline that lay just beyond the walls of camp. Silence rang out across the entire camp, the only sounds being that of their soft voices. "I can't tell if that's a good or bad thing."

Melody tilted her head to the side and listened, but she couldn't hear anything other than the sound of her own steady breathing. The birds didn't sing, the leaves on the trees didn't rustle, and even the wind seemed to fall silent for a few minutes. The silence that surrounded them was eerie and unsettling, causing Melody to shiver and tense up. Perhaps it was because of the unspoken threat in the air, but somehow the silence only seemed to make her feel even worse than she already had. Melody was expecting the hammer to be brought down any minute and that made this unnatural silence more threatening than anything else. They didn't _know _anything for certain and it was killing her.

"It's terrifying isn't it?" Melody turned her head to look at Bellamy. "Not knowing what's going to happen next."

"It is." He gave a short nod and continued to stare at the trees, his gaze unwavering. For just the briefest of moments, Bellamy looked almost vulnerable. And when he spoke again, Melody could hear the slight undertone of panic in his voice. "I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life. Not just for myself, but for us. For our people."

There it was again, that little word that had such an effect on Melody. _Our. _Every time Bellamy muttered that word, it felt like he was giving Melody something precious. It felt like he was letting her in, inviting her to rule by his side.

"They'll fight for us." Mel uttered the words softly and her eyes fastened themselves upon one of the men who was dutifully keeping watch on the wall, gun in hand. "They'll fight for _you._" Her eyes flickered towards him as she spoke.

"They'll _die _for me." Argued Bellamy, who was perplexed about the whole situation. Here he was, the _king_, yet he could do nothing more than sit back and watch his people die a grizzly death at his expense. All because he'd trained them to be his little soldiers. Because he had chosen to rule with fear rather than kindness. Because he didn't know when to leave well enough alone. "They'll die _because_ of me."

"Don't flatter yourself." She said, the words tumbling out of her mouth before Melody had a chance to think better of it.

Bellamy's eyes narrowed slightly and he turned his head sharply, piercing her with an irritated glower. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. I said they would _fight _for you, Bellamy. They'll fight for you because they respect you, because they trust you to lead them to victory."

"And if I can't do that?" He wondered. "If I can't lead them to victory?"

"Then maybe they will die. But their deaths won't have been for_ you._ And they certainly won't have been_ because_ of you_._" Melody stared up at him firmly, unwilling to coddle Bellamy yet reluctant to argue with him. "This is our home now, Bellamy. _Ours. _And none of us are going to give it up without a fight. So, yeah, they'll fight for you…but they'll die for _this_." She said, sweeping her arms out and gesturing towards their little camp, their little home. "For their freedom."

"Don't you get it?" He asked, as if somehow by saying these words he could share his thoughts will her, he could make her 'get it.' As if he could somehow explain to her that no matter what happened, they were his people and their fates would ultimately reside in his hands. "It all falls back on me. _Everything _falls back on me. Whether they live, whether they die, whether they're remembered or forgotten. Maybe they won't die for me, but they _will _die. And it'll be because I asked them to fight in the first place. It all comes back to _me. _I'm their leader, Melody."

"Then stop your whining and _lead them_."

The two of them stared at one another for a long while, waging a silent war. Bellamy wanted to sit around and complain about their situation, a situation that he could not change, but Melody refused to let him wallow in his own self-pity. If he wanted to be the leader then he needed to prove that he was strong enough to lead. Whether Bellamy liked it or not, they had gotten themselves into this mess and it was his job, his and Clarke's, to get them out of it. Everyone was looking to them in this time of weakness. They could not, under any circumstance, start to fall apart.

Melody refused to let them.

"I remember a long time ago, you told me something." Melody said, after a few moments of intense silence. "It was right when we first discovered that we weren't alone down here. The day that Jasper was speared. I was terrified. I thought we were all going to die. I said to you, 'They'll kill us, Bellamy.' And do you remember what you said?"

It took a few moments, but Bellamy did remember. "Let them try." He muttered, repeating the words that he had almost forgotten. "I said, 'Let them try.'"

"_Let them try. _That's the first thing you ever said to me." Melody's voice grew soft as she pointed this out, remembering those first few days on the ground. It seemed like a _lifetime _ago. "Your job is to rally the troops and you've been inspiring us from the very beginning, Bellamy. Don't give up now, not when your people need you the most."

Bellamy stared at her for a long while as he processed her words. He and Melody butted heads often, but they rarely ever sat down and had serious conversations. It was so strange to be in the middle of a _discussion _with her. Not a fight, not a screaming-match, not an exchange of passive aggressive comments; they were having an adult conversation.

Bellamy was more grateful for Melody than words could express. She didn't talk to him like everyone else did. She didn't make him feel like a monster or a tyrant or an asshole. She didn't walk on eggshells around him, nor did she tell him only what she thought he wanted to hear. She talked to him like he was her friend, her equal. She offered her advice and forced him to see things from a new perspective. She didn't kick Bellamy when he was down, but instead offered him a helping hand to get him back on his feet. Melody was the only person he knew who was truly, 100% _on his side. _

After a minute or two, Bellamy's face softened and suddenly he was smiling at her. A full-blown smile, a genuine one, a heart-felt one. The kind of smile that he reserved for her and her alone. "You're a helluva woman, Melody Pond."

Melody couldn't help but to laugh, caught off guard by his unexpected words. She had been anticipating some sort of fight, not a compliment. Would that be happening a lot now?

"And you're a helluva leader, Bellamy." She replied, meaning every word that she said.

"That's to be determined."

"No, I think it was determined a long time ago. You _will_ lead them to victory…Oh! Speaking of," Melody reached into her pocket and felt around for the small gift of sorts she had made for Bellamy, a gift that she had almost forgotten about. It was nowhere near as great as the bow, but it was special in its own little way. Her fingers grasped the thin, leather cord and Melody pulled it out of her pocket.

"Here." She said softly, holding the item out to Bellamy. "I made this for you."

Bellamy's brown eyes flickered towards his gift and he reached for it. His fingers wrapped themselves around the leather cord, which had a small, hand-made charm hanging from it. It was a necklace, but a very _manly _necklace. Hence the leather, and the "charm" which was actually a miniature replica of a shield. The cord she had gotten from one of the campers, but the charm she had made by hand. Finn had showed Melody the ropes and after that it was pretty easy to mold some leftover scrap metal into the item she desired.

"It's a Spartan shield." Explained Melody as she watched Bellamy look at his new gift.

"A Spartan shield?" Bellamy echoed her words, giving Melody a curious look.

Melody began to explain. "The Spartans were strong and fierce warriors-"

"I know who the Spartans were, Melody." He cut her off, rolling his eyes in both amusement and annoyance. "I just don't understand why you chose the shield."

"Well…I thought it might help to protect you." Admitted Melody, with a small shrug. "Kind of like a good like charm."

"A good luck charm." He repeated softly.

Bellamy looked at her for a few moments, saying nothing. And then all of a sudden he was giving her that _look. _The one that made her all sorts of flustered. Melody returned the smile and watched as he fastened the necklace around his neck and then tucked it beneath his shirt where no one could see it, as if he wanted to keep it hidden from the rest of the world, as if he wanted to keep it strictly for himself. Melody watched Bellamy's odd interaction with the gift for a few moments before a lightbulb went off in her head. It was then that she realized that she might very well be the first person to give Bellamy Blake a gift, something all his own.

"Thank you." Bellamy said quietly, not knowing what else to say beyond those few simple words, which somehow didn't seem to be enough to describe exactly what he was feeling.

But he didn't really need to say anything else, because Melody _knew. _

He was Bellamy Blake, the poor boy from Mecha who had never known true kindness. The boy whose mother had been too selfish to gift him with anything other than responsibility and countless burdens. The boy who had grown up far too quickly, the boy who had hardened his heart and did his best to keep everyone out…everyone except her. So, yes, Melody knew how much this small act of kindness had meant to him.

People began coming out of the dropship then. Their presence might have cut Bellamy and Melody's conversation short, but it did not ruin the moment that the two of them were sharing.

Nothing could ruin that moment.

Clarke led the group, her footsteps slow but precise as she slowly made her way out of the dropship. Melody was glad to see that the good doctor looked stronger than she had a few hours ago. A bit of color had returned to Clarke's skin and the bags beneath her eyes were beginning to fade. She wasn't in perfect health, but she was no longer laying in the infirmary, defenseless.

Behind Clarke was a steady stream of campers, all of whom Melody knew by this point. It had taken her a couple of months but she had finally put names to faces and faces to names. All of the campers looked sick, but none of them were in too bad of shape. Most were steady on their feet and looking especially bright now that they were finally released from quarantine. Melody knew the feeling all too well, so she hurriedly moved out of the way so that they could get through.

Bellamy extended his hand and Melody grasped it firmly, pulling him to his feet. He wrapped one long arm around her shoulders and the two of them walked towards Clarke, who was staring at the same place they had been just minutes before, with an almost identical worried expression on her face.

"Don't tell me I need to give you a pep talk, too, Clarke." Teased Melody lightly as she stood beside her friend, giving the girl a playfully stern look.

Clarke laughed quietly, the sound hoarse and throaty, but shook her head. "No, I don't think I need a pep talk, Mel." Said the doctor as she tore her gaze away from the treeline and fixated it on Melody and Bellamy, who were a package deal at the moment. "I just wish something would happen soon. Anything."

_I know the feeling, _thought Melody.

"Patience is a virtue, Clarke." Said Bellamy who was just as unhappy about being kept in the dark, although now he did feel _somewhat _better after Melody's little talk/lecture. "We'll know soon."

"What if it's too late?" Clarke's gaze shifted towards the campers who were huddled up outside of the ship. "What happens when they get close enough for us to hear the first war cry? What happens when they grounders come charging at us, with their spears and their poisons and their armies? What happens when our people cannot defend themselves? What happens then? "

"What if we don't _need _to defend ourselves?" Countered Melody. "What if Finn and Raven and Monty and Jasper manage to pull this whole thing off? What then?"

"What if they don't?" Clarke shrugged her shoulders half-heartedly.

"Have a little faith." Advised Melody, who was doing her best to practice what she was preaching. The moment she found out that Bellamy had caught the virus was the moment Melody realized that being optimistic was the only thing she could do. And now she was doing her best to keep everyone's spirits high, because that was one of two things that Melody could do well. The other was shooting her bow.

"Faith isn't going to save us."

"No, _we're _going to save us." Said Melody gently. "Raven and Finn are more than capable of planting the bomb. Jasper knows what's at stake here; he'll make the shot."

"I hope you're right, Melody." Clarke gave her a weak little smile that said she _wanted_ to believe, but she just couldn't bring herself to do so. "If they can pull this off we might actually stand a fighting chance."

"_When_ they pull this off," Amended Melody, "We'll prepare. We'll be ready the next time the grounders come a-knocking. And then, when they do happen to knock on our front door, we'll answer. And we'll kick some major grounder ass."

"Yeah." Clarke nodded and smiled, reaching out to place a gentle hand on Melody's arm. "I like that idea."

"They've got this." Melody assured her.

And then, as if to prove her point, the thunder sounded.

At least at the time they _thought _it was thunder. The skies were dark and gloomy, suggesting a storm on top of all their other problems. But the sound only occurred once, and it wasn't followed by rain or even lightning. It was followed by silence, a deafening silence.

A few minutes after the loud, booming sound had emitted from somewhere near camp, they saw smoke billowing up above the tops of the trees. Everyone was confused for a moment, but then they realized that they were seeing the aftermath of an explosion. An explosion that had taken out the bridge. An explosion that had just saved all of their lives, or at least prolonged them for the time being.

"They did it."

"They did it." Clarke agreed quietly, her blue gaze following the trail of smoke as it flitted away on the breeze. She sounded more relieved than surprised by this information. "They actually did it."

"I told you." Melody looked up at the sky, grinning broadly. "A little faith can go a long ways."

"I'll never doubt you again, as long as I live." Murmured Bellamy, giving her an affectionate squeeze as he, too, stared up at the sky, looking more than a little relieved about the fact that he wouldn't be leading his men -or what was left of them- into battle.

"Yeah right." Melody rolled her eyes and nudged him forward, towards the rest of the campers who had suddenly begun to move towards the gates. "Just shut up and march."

They walked towards the front of the camp, staring expectantly at the gaze. The crowd was practically buzzing with excitement as they waited for any sign of life beyond the wall. Everyone was all too eager to congratulate and thank the campers that had postponed the attack and saved their lives. Sick or not, there wasn't a person in camp who stayed away. Once again Melody found herself almost overwhelmed with the strong sense of unity that she felt when surrounded by her fellow campers. They may have started out as strangers and criminals, but they'd become something much more than that over the course of the last few months.

It felt like they stood there for hours, waiting for any sign of life beyond the wall. Melody was waiting somewhat anxiously, unable to stop herself from worrying. Both of her boys were out there, unprotected and basically defenseless. Although she knew that they had done their job and done it well, Melody also knew that _anything _was possible. And she wouldn't be content until they were home and safe, just the way she liked them.

Finally, a voice rang out. "It's them! Open the gates!"

Monty and Jasper came first, walking side by side with matching grins plastered across their faces. Grins which only grew when the camp erupted into hearty applause. The boys were welcomed back like heroes, with everyone shouting for them and fighting to catch their attention. Although they didn't say anything, Melody knew that it meant a lot for Monty and Jasper to be recognized in such a huge way. She was happy for them.

"I'm so glad you two are alright." Melody pushed her way out of the crowd and pulled the both of them in for a hug, wrapping her arms around them tightly, as if she had no intention of ever letting go. "You scared the hell out of me."

"Sorry, Mels." Monty shot her a boyish grin as he wrapped one arm around her smaller frame.

"Yeah, sorry." Agreed Jasper with a nod as he mimicked Monty's actions and wrapped Melody up in his arms. "But we made the shot! We did it, the bridge is gone."  
"I know. I'm proud of you guys. So, _so _proud." Said Melody honestly as she smiled up at the two boys, her heart swelling with so much love for them that she thought it might explode.

Melody turned back towards the gates, expecting to congratulate Finn and Raven on their accomplishments as well. The sight that met her caused Melody's eyes to widen slightly as she moved towards them. Finn was half-carrying Raven through the gates because she was unable to walk. Her eyes fluttered back in her head and her face was smeared with blood that had probably leaked out of her nose and eyeballs. Melody was no doctor, but she knew the signs of the illness that had plagued the rest of camp for the last day and a half.

"Melody…" Clarke took off towards them at a jog, stopping Melody before she had made it even half-way. "You beat it. You don't need to somehow get infected again, if that's even possible. Let me take care of her while the virus is still in my system."

Melody didn't like being told that she couldn't help, but even she could not argue with Clarke's logic. "Okay. Let me know if you need anything, Clarke. And I do mean _anything._"

Clarke nodded. "Thank you. I will." And she moved towards Finn, helping him to carry Raven into camp and towards the infirmary.

Melody watched them go, her gaze remaining on their retreating forms until she heard soft footsteps coming up beside her. Mel turned her head and saw Bellamy standing there, watching the gates with a peculiar look on his face. It was hard to tell whether he was relieved or whether he was upset about the whole situation.

"How do you feel?" She asked, honestly curious.

Bellamy turned his attention towards Melody and stared at her for a good, long while. His dark brown eyes seemed to be searching for something, but Melody didn't know what it was he wanted from her. For a few long moments his gaze remained impassive, but then he cracked a small smile. He reached out and wrapped an arm around Melody's shoulder, pulling her close so that he could tuck her neatly into his side. "Good. Happy."

"Happy because we narrowly escaped death?" Prompted Melody, tilting her head up slightly so that she could look him in the eyes.

"No." Bellamy shook his head once, eyes bright with an emotion that Melody just couldn't seem to place. "It's got nothing to do with that."

"Well, _I'm _pretty damn happy about it." Announced Melody bluntly.

"Oh yeah?" Bellamy looked amused as he gazed at her, a half-smile curving his lips. "Aren't you happy about _anything else_?" He asked, pulling her closer to him as if to emphasize those words.

"Of course. Lots of things make me happy." She gave a half-hearted shrug.

"Like?" He pressed, arching a brow meaningfully as he waited for Melody to go on.

"Rain. Music. Macaroni and cheese. The color green." She rattled all of these things off, holding up a finger to symbolize each thing that made her happy.

"_And_?"

"My bow. My bed. Trees. Campfires."

"_And_?" Bellamy pressed, giving her a gentle but prompting shake.

"I dunno…socks?" She questioned, shrugging again.

"Please tell me I rank above _socks._" Bellamy sounded almost offended as he scowled at her, as if the thought of being ranked below socks was outrageous.

"Would you take above socks but below mac'n'cheese?" Asked Melody, waggling her eyebrows mischievously.

"Deal."

Bellamy turned and pulled her closer, signing their deal with a kiss.


	28. Chapter 28

_I am sorry in advance. _

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

Today had been an absolute disaster, and Melody didn't have high hopes of things improving.

First the smokehouse had gone up in flames, then a fight had broken out, -Murphy launched himself at the camper responsible for the fire and then fists were suddenly flying in every direction as the two boys duked it out- and now, Raven had informed them that they were completely out of bullets. Everything just kept getting better and better for the 100. Most days, it felt like the odds were stacked against them.

As Melody stood there, staring at the burnt remains of their food supply, it suddenly occurred to her that surviving the winter -permitted they made it to winter, what with the grounders watching their every move- was going to be a lot harder than she had initially figured. At the very least, they needed to make do until the Ark could manage to send them another exodus ship with sufficient supplies which, given their last attempt, could take a while. They had no real shelter, no blankets, no warm clothes, no experience with any sort of bad weather, and now they had no food.

"Can we fix it?" Jasper stood beside Melody, solemnly staring at the charred smokehouse.

"No." Melody shook her head. "Even if we can repair the smokehouse, there's nothing we can do to save the meat."

"Bummer." He gazed at the remains for only a moment or two longer, then set his curious sights on Melody.

"Yeah." She agreed with a nod, and then a sigh. "Total bummer."

"What are we going to do?"

"Why are you asking _me_?" So _maybe _she was a little irritable, but it was only because of the fact that her stress level was off the charts. "Do I look like the one in charge?"

"Melody." Jasper gave her an almost scolding look, as if silently telling her not to ask such stupid questions. "What are we going to do?"

She sighed softly yet again and shrugged her shoulders. "What else_ can_ we do? We're going to hunt. Everyone who is willing and able."

"Hunt as in bow and arrows? Spears?"

"Well, yeah."

"Count me out."

"Come on, Jasper." Pleaded Melody, who had kind of been looking forward to partnering up with him. "We make a good team."

"Mels, we don't have a very good track record when it comes to sharp objects." He yanked down the collar of his shirt, exposing the scar on his chest.

"So?"

"_So_, I'd rather not have a repeat of the last time I came into contact with a spear."

"Yeah, but this time you'd be the one wielding the spear. You'd be the stabber, not the stabee."

"Not happening." Jasper was firm in his decision, and there was no swaying him. "Why don't you ask your _boyfriend_ to be your partner?"

"Jasper." Melody found herself scowling, not overly fond of the way he said the word, as if it left a bad taste in his mouth. "Bellamy isn't my boyfriend. We're just friends."

"Really?" Jasper raised his eyebrows slightly, doubting her.

"Yes, really." She almost sounded convincing.

"_Well_, aren't I your friend?" He asked.

Confused, Melody frowned at him. "Don't be stupid. Of course you're my friend." As far as Melody was concerned, Jasper was practically family.

"Well then how come you've never tried to shove you tongue down my throat, like you do Bellamy's? Should I be offended?" He grinned down at her wildly, arms crossed over his chest as he waited for an answer.

Melody blinked up at Jasper in surprise, and then she laughed. Had anyone else said something like that, they would have gotten a black eye. But it was _Jasper_, and there were a lot of things he could say to Melody that she wouldn't normally allow.

Figuring that she would humor him, Melody stretched up on her tiptoes and quickly pecked his lips. It was totally worth it when Jasper's face twisted into a sour expression, and he wiped his lips off with the sleeve of his jacket. Not the reaction she typically hoped for when kissing someone, but right now it was perfect.

"There. Now you've got no reason to be offended." Melody told him, unable to stop herself from grinning at the horrified look on his face. "Want another?"

"No!" Jasper said quickly, shaking his head. He took a step away from her, and then another, acting as if she was contagious or something. "You're something else, you know that?"

"So I've been told."

Melody watched as he walked away in a daze, and she was still snickering to herself. Kissing Jasper was the equivalent of kissing a brother. Or, she was sure it would be if she actually _had _a brother to kiss and compare to. Any and all feelings she had towards Jasper always had been and would always remain platonic. It sure was fun to mess with him, though, and to get his feathers all sorts of ruffled.

She turned around, intent on finding her bow, but instead found a grumpy looking Bellamy standing right in front of her. He always looked grumpy, and at this point in time Melody found his grumpy face to be almost endearing. After everything that had transpired between the two of them, she found it nearly impossible to be in a bad mood when Bellamy was around.

_Nearly. _

"Oh." Melody stopped short, tilting her head so that she could look up at him. A smile played on the edge of her lips. "Hello there."

Bellamy didn't waste his time with pleasantries, nor did he bother to beat around the bush. "Did you just kiss _Jasper_?"

"Well I wouldn't call it a _kiss_ exactly." Melody shrugged lazily.

"Your lips touched his."

"Indeed they did."

"On purpose."

"Of course."

"I don't like it." Bellamy said simply, crossing his arms over his chest. His brown gaze was narrowed slightly as he stared down at Melody, looking very unamused.

Melody wasn't very experienced with boys and dating and kissing, but she recognized jealousy when she saw it. It was there, in the tightness of his jaw and the tension in his stance. Bellamy was upset by the fact that she'd been kissing someone else. While she should have been remorseful or apologetic, Melody was amused even further by this realization. Bellamy was jealous. Of _Jasper Jordan_ no less.

"Oh?" Melody felt a sudden burst of laughter coming on, but she did her best to smother it with a cough. "I'm sorry."

"This isn't funny, Melody." Bellamy was obviously in a no-joking kind of mood.

"It _is _funny. You're getting all worked up over nothing, Bellamy. It was just a little peck on the lips and it meant nothing to either one of us. Jasper was so grossed-out that I thought he might get sick all over my shoes." Melody assured him, figuring that this would ease whatever troubles he might have. "You've got nothing to worry about."

"I'm not _worried._" Bellamy scoffed.

"_Oh_?" Her eyebrows flew up in disbelief as she listened to Bellamy speak, half-wondering if even he believed the words he was saying. "Is that so?"

"Everyone knows who you belong to, Melody." He shrugged his shoulders, appearing to be anything but concerned. "No one's stupid enough to cross me."

Melody stared at Bellamy, her eyes wide with shock. She found it hard to believe that Bellamy, of all people, had just spoken to her like that. If there was anyone who respected the fact that Melody was strong and independent and proud, if was him. Or so she had thought.

_He. Did. Not. Just. Say. That._

Eventually the shock wore off, and anger quickly replaced it. Melody's barely-contained temper was quickly threatening to consume her as she repeated the words in her mind, over and over again. _Everyone knows who you belong to, Melody._ The audacity of this man both surprised and infuriated her. She was not an _object. _She belonged to no one. It seemed that Bellamy Blake had become far too comfortable with her, and he now believed that he could say whatever he damn well pleased.

If that's what he thought, boy had another thing coming.

"Come again?" Melody asked, giving him one -and only one- chance to take back the offensive words that he'd just thrown in her face.

Bellamy remained as stubborn as ever. Straightening, he clenched his jaw and remained impassive, staring her down. Gone was the easy-going, likeable Bellamy that she had come to know rather well over the last few days. In his place was the tyrant, the man who thought he held enough power to control everything.

"I belong to no one. You, least of all. How dare you suggest otherwise? I am a human being, Bellamy; not some _toy_. I don't exist simply for your amusement. I am free to make my own decisions, whether you like them or not. If I want to kiss Jasper, I'm going to kiss him. And if you don't like it, well maybe you could act like a civilized human being instead of letting your jealousy speak for you."

"Jealous?" Bellamy laughed, the sound spiteful and unfamiliar. "I'm not jealous."

"Yes, you are." Melody said, refusing to humor him. "And I understand _why_ you're jealous, although I believe your jealousy is unwarranted. Jasper is _just _a friend."

"So, you kiss all of your friends, huh?" Demanded Bellamy, arching a brow in question.

"Apparently. I kissed you, didn't I?"

"Since when am I your _friend_?" His gaze darkened immensely, and suddenly Bellamy looked angry. More than just angry; he looked offended. As if he had any right to be offended after the things he'd said to her.

"When did you express the desire to be _more _than friends?" Countered Melody, who was glad to be keeping her head through the majority of this argument.

"I guess I didn't." He shook his head slowly. "And I don't think I ever will."

That wasn't what Melody was expecting to hear. For some unexplainable reason, the words hurt. Bellamy might be a pain in the ass, but he'd always been _her _pain in the ass. For a long time now, things had been building between the two of them, whether they were willing to admit it or not. Melody had assumed that eventually he would want to become more than _just _her friend. Hell, she'd wanted the same thing. But now…now she wasn't so sure.

"Careful, Blake." Warned Melody. "Your true colors are beginning to show."

"The colors haven't changed, sweetheart." Bellamy smiled bitterly and opened his arms, sweeping them out wide. "I'm still the same man I've always been. I still have the same sparkling personality."

"Sparkling? I think you mean condescending, you self-centered asshole. Stop acting like you're the same guy who came down here on the dropship, because you're _not._ You've changed, Bellamy. Even if you refuse to admit it. Don't play small, just because you're angry with me. Have you no self-respect?"

"Apparently not."

"There you go again, acting like nothing matters. You're insufferable!"

"Me? You're the one who does whatever the hell she wants, everyone else be damned. You're infuriating."

"You know what? If I'm _so _infuriating, do us both a favor. Just stay away from me."

Melody was fed up with arguing. There were more pressing matters at hand, and right now she had a million and one things that she could be doing. She brushed past Bellamy, fully intent on grabbing her bow and joining the hunting party. She had barely made it a few steps when Bellamy reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a stop.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"I don't _think_ I'm going anywhere." Melody pulled her arm out of his grip, sending him a glare that would have put the fear of God in a weaker man. "I _know_ I'm going on a hunting trip."

"Hunting?" Bellamy's attitude suddenly shifted. "You're not going hunting."

"Excuse me?" There he went, thinking he could somehow control her. "You don't tell me what I can and cannot do, Bellamy."

Apparently, Bellamy had cooled down enough to be civil. "Melody, there are grounders out there. We're in the middle of a war. If you go out there, you're liable to end up with another arrow in the side; or worse."

"Oh? And why do you care so much, Bellamy?" She wondered, refusing to let go of the anger inside of her despite his obvious concern for her well-being. It was a little too late to play the doting boyfriend card.

"Don't be stupid, Melody. You can be pissed at me all you want; _inside _the camp. There are others who can go in your place."

"Our people need food. I know how to use a bow and arrow better than anyone. Whether you like it or not, I'm going on that hunting trip. My feelings for you are not going to prohibit me from taking care of those who rely on me. Nor are your ridiculous concerns."

"Since when are you so hell-bent on putting yourself in harm's way?" Asked Bellamy, who was quickly becoming exasperated. Apparently he was allowed to be rational, now that he'd already voiced all of his frustrations.

Melody began walking backwards now, quickly, as she heard people beginning to call for last-minute hunters. Her green gaze remained locked on Bellamy's as she shrugged her shoulders and spread her arms open wide. "I'm the same woman I've always been. I've still got the same sparkling personality." With that, she turned her back on him and broke into a jog, leaving Bellamy alone with his thoughts.

|oOo|

Why did she have to kiss _Jasper_?

If Melody would have just kept her lips to herself -or, preferably, if she'd just been content with kissing _him-_ then Bellamy wouldn't have made a complete ass of himself in front of her. Being the good guy was proving to be hard, especially at times like this. Bellamy would have loved to be the kind of man Melody wanted, the kind of man she deserved, without even trying. But he couldn't. Being good and friendly and open-minded didn't come naturally to him. She _knew _that. She knew the kind of guy he was right from that very first day. And yet, she'd still given him a chance.

So what did Bellamy do? He threw it back in her face, of course.

It wasn't really the _kiss _so much as the _who_ she had kissed. If Bellamy had seen her kiss Monty or Finn or even _Murphy,_ he could have been understanding. He could have had a reasonable conversation, and he could have explained to Melody why he didn't want her running around kissing other guys, no matter how innocent things might be. But it wasn't one of them. It was Jasper freaking Jordan, of all people.

Bellamy didn't hate Jasper; he seemed like a good kid. Always willing to help, hard-working, and the kind of guy you could rely on. In another life, maybe the two of them could have been good friends. But _this _life included Melody Pond. And Bellamy knew that so long as she had Jasper by her side, she would never really need him. And for some reason, that rubbed him the wrong way. _He _wanted to be the one she needed, the one she wanted. _He _wanted to laugh with her, to joke with her as easily and naturally as Jasper could. _He _wanted to know every part of Melody, the good and the bad and everything in-between. _He _wanted to have her trust and her undying loyalty. No, more than that; he wanted to be deserving of it.

The relationship between Melody and Jasper was puzzling to everyone, himself included. The two of them had a bond that rivaled no other. They had proven just how far they were willing to go for one another, which included risking their own lives. As far as Bellamy could tell, they'd only known each other since the first day on Earth. Yet they acted like they'd been friends since the beginning of time. It was obvious that they loved each other. You could see it in the way they looked at one another. It might not be romantic, but that didn't matter. Love was love and what they had wasn't just intense; it was intimidating.

So, he'd gotten a little jealous. It wouldn't have been so bad if he hadn't opened his big mouth and made things even worse. _Everyone knows who you belong to. _Why had he said something as stupid and insensitive as that? Bellamy knew that Melody had done _a lot _to prove herself and earn the respect that she so rightly deserved. And yet, with just a few simple words, he'd stomped on everything she had worked so hard to achieve. And why? Because he was jealous of a little kiss? It wasn't like he _owned _her. He hadn't even asked her to be his girlfriend yet. And now, he probably wouldn't get the chance.

Bellamy wasn't the kind of guy who liked talking about his feelings. It was much easier to just put up a wall between himself and the rest of the world. But when he was with Melody, things were different. He wanted her to know how she made him feel. How did she make him feel? Happy. When Bellamy was with her, he was able to forget about all the horrors in the world. All he could see was her. When they were together, everything about Melody Pond absolutely consumed him. Her smile, her laugh, her ability to make him feel like almost _normal_, opposed to feeling like a complete and total screw-up. Maybe it wasn't love, but it was the closest thing to it that he had ever known.

And now, he'd gone and screwed it all up.

Bellamy made his way towards his tent, needing a distraction. He couldn't dwell on his argument with Melody, and worrying about her would drive him crazy. Taking inventory would be a good way to occupy his time, and if he was feeling generous -or bored- then he might even stop by to help Raven make the bullets that they so desperately needed. Or, maybe he'd just say screw it and take a nap.

As Bellamy stepped into the tent, he was surprised to realize that he wasn't alone. His gaze roamed over towards a girl, but not one that had ever frequented his tent. Bellamy made sure to place his gun down nicely on the floor before he began approaching her, now more curious than ever.

"What are you doing here?" He wondered, not able to comprehend why she might visit his tent. Did she need to talk? Bellamy hoped not. He had given her somewhat of a pep talk this morning, but that was only because she was thinking of leaving them. Raven was a good mechanic and the only one who could make the bullets. They needed her.

"They don't waste time. I'll give them that." She said, shaking her head. For a moment, Raven looked almost vulnerable. It struck Bellamy as odd that she, a woman who had always seemed so tough, was capable of looking like a wounded puppy. What had happened to put her in such a state?

"It's been what…a day and a half?" She continued, looking to him, as if for confirmation.

It was then that Bellamy realized what she was talking about. How could he have forgotten about the infamous Finn/Clarke/Raven love triangle so easily? Things had been tense between the three of them for a long time now. Bellamy had stopped caring about it long ago, if he'd ever even cared to begin with.

"You've mistaken me for someone who cares." Bellamy sounded bored, but he couldn't help it. His fight with Melody had already put him in a bad mood, and he wasn't in any state to listen about Raven's relationship troubles. "Time to move on."

Figuring that Raven would take the hint and get out, Bellamy began to undo his belt, pulling it and all of its accessories -an axe, a knife, and a water bottle- away from his body. As he was busy pulling off the belt, he saw Raven sit down, obviously with no intention of leaving. He was about to tell her to get out and leave him alone, when suddenly he noticed something. She was taking off her shoes.

"What are you doing?" Asked Bellamy, eyeing her suspiciously. He returned his attention to his belt, finally freeing himself of the extra weight. He tossed it to the ground and then focused on his guest once more.

Bellamy looked up just in time to see Raven slide out of her jeans. He blinked a couple of times and then swallowed thickly, finally understanding why she'd come to his tent. Bellamy knew that he should have told her to leave right then, but he didn't. Instead, he found his gaze lingering on her lithe body, watching as she kicked off her pants and began to walk towards him. And still, he didn't object.

When Raven reached him, Bellamy raised his gaze to her face and gave her a slightly amused look. He watched as she pulled her hair free of its ponytail, allowing the long, brown locks to fall down her back. His head tilted to the side slightly as he watched, remaining silent. He'd always loved brown hair. It was the color of his hair, of his mother's hair, and Octavia's hair. Bellamy was never the type to stray from what he knew. Yet, as he stared at Raven, trying to think of her as beautiful, he couldn't. Maybe she was someone's kind of beautiful, but she wasn't his.

Maybe if her hair had a bit more red in it, and her eyes lightened into a soft moss-green. Maybe if her tanned skin was ivory, with just a dash of freckles across the bridge of her nose and her cheekbones. Maybe if she looked at him and actually _saw _him, as a person and not as some sort of tool for revenge. Maybe if she loved him, not for his power or his influence or his seductive smirk; but for him. Maybe then she would be the kind of beautiful that Bellamy wanted. The kind of beautiful that he _needed. _

Still, he didn't stop her.

"I've never been with anyone but Finn." Raven said, probably more for her benefit than for his. It wasn't like Bellamy cared _who_ she'd been with. Right now she was with him, and that was all that mattered. "Take off your clothes."

Bellamy hesitated, staring at her. He clenched his jaw and blinked a few times, making no move to comply. He wasn't objecting, but he also wasn't making the first move. Why? Bellamy was always the one who made the first move. He took what he wanted, and he wasn't shy about it. Yet this time…this time it was different.

_She'll hate you for this, _said a little voice in the back of his mind.

There was no question about who the "she" was. There was only one woman in Bellamy's life who would care about something like this. He knew that to sleep with Raven would be an act of ultimate betrayal. He knew that in the end, when this was all over, the few moments of pleasure wouldn't be worth losing the girl that he lo…_loathed. _

All of a sudden, Bellamy remembered how he'd felt earlier that afternoon. How angry he'd felt, how _betrayed. _And suddenly, he wanted to hurt Melody. He wanted to give her a taste of her own medicine, to show her exactly how it felt to be on the receiving end of disloyalty.

_You don't mean that, _said the same little voice. _You don't want to see her hurt. You're just looking for a way to feel better about this._

And maybe he was.

But why should he feel angry? If Melody could kiss other people, didn't he have the same right? Melody had made it perfectly clear that she wanted nothing to do with him. She had stormed angrily out of camp, ignoring his concerns and insisting that he leave her alone. And _besides_, it wasn't like they were together. They'd kissed a couple of times, sure, but as Melody had plainly pointed out, a kiss was just a kiss. It didn't mean anything…right?

"Fine." Said Raven, who was taking Bellamy's reluctance as a sign of him being unwilling or maybe even shy. "I'll go first."

The rest of the clothes came off then. Bellamy clenched his jaw harder than ever before and put both hands on his hips, doing his best to continue looking her in the eye. But, he was a guy, and eventually his gaze flickered downwards, before coming to rest on her face once more.

"If you're looking for someone to talk you down, tell you that you're just upset and not thinking straight…I'm not that guy." He warned her. That was the plain, hard truth. He wasn't the kind of guy to do such a thing. He couldn't even do it to himself.

Their gazes clashed and held, for what felt like an eternity. Time seemed to pass slowly, and Bellamy was well aware of the sound of his own heartbeat in his ears. Some might call it warning bells. Bellamy was sure that Raven would re-think he decision and leave, but she didn't. Instead, she looked up at him and said, "Good."

Raven moved forward and then she was kissing him, hard, on the lips.

Bellamy knew that he should stop her. For many reasons, but the most prominent being the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. This was wrong. He _knew _it was wrong, just by the way she kissed him. Hard, urgent, like she was trying to forget. Melody never kissed him like that. She kissed him soft and sweet, wanting to make each moment last. This was wrong…this was so, so wrong and it was a decision that could shatter everything he'd built for himself.

Still, he didn't stop her.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

Ready.

Aim.

Fire.

"Holy shit." Whispered Melody, gaze following the arrow as it cut through the air and hit its target, slicing through the layers of fur and skin and fat as easily as if it were slicing through butter. With a wounded howl, the two-headed deer reared up on its hind legs. Everyone held their breath as their watched the animal stumble backwards a few steps before collapsing in a heap.

"I don't believe it." Miller's brown eyes were widened in both surprise and awe as he stared at the fallen deer. After a few moments he shook his head back and forth. "I just don't believe it."

There were murmurs of agreement among their small hunting party. It was a group of two hunters -Melody and some novice wielding a spear-, and two guards who were sent along to protect the hunters from grounder attacks. One of the guards was Miller, and the other was a boy that Melody didn't really know. The four of them had been in the woods for hours on end, but the deer was the first creature they'd seen that was worth pursuing. Thanks to Melody's limited knowledge of tracking animals and her good aim, they would be eating like kings tonight and for many nights to come.

_And Bellamy tried to make me stay in camp_, thought Melody with a sly grin as she moved forward to collect her trophy. _I bet he'll feel like a real asshole when he sees how good I am at bringing home the bacon. _

The guards needed to be able to access their weapons, so carrying the deer fell mostly onto Melody and Spear Boy's shoulders; literally. The four of them hefted the large animal up, and the two hunters managed to balance its weight between them. Surprisingly, Melody found that she could hold her own. A lot of time had passed since she was some weak and fragile Ark girl. Life on Earth had succeeded in strengthening her stamina, her reflexes, and -best of all- her muscles. Melody felt more competent and confident than ever before.

"Did you see that?" Melody kept asking delightedly, not even bothering to wait for the half-hearted 'Yes, Melody's anymore before she continued on, shouting, "Right in the heart!"

Even with Melody's incessant chatter and her reenacting of the hunt, the walk back to camp shouldn't have taken them much more than an hour or two. It wouldn't have taken longer than that if not for the fact that only _two_ people were carrying a full grown deer instead of one. Every fifteen minutes or so, they had to pause and take an equally long break.

During these periods of relaxation, Melody amused herself by requiting Miller in her little games. Miller, of course, played the role of the deer. And Melody played the role of the beautiful huntress. It would start out with her pulling back the invisible string of her bow, -which was represented by one of her fists- and aiming as precisely as she had that very first time. And then, she would 'release' the bow and an imaginary arrow would sail forward and nail Miller right in the heart. He was very good at playing the part of the deer. He would cry out and stumble backwards, clutching anxiously at his chest. Finally, it ended when Miller would collapse into the dirt and play dead.

Then, they would high-five and Melody would help him up so they could do the whole thing over again.

It'd been a long time since Melody felt so happy and care-free. Being able to provide for the rest of the group felt good. It felt _really _good. For so long she had been stuck inside because of an injury or a sickness or the looming threat of an attack. Just being out in the fresh air, being able to run and to jump and to _live_…it felt like she was finally waking up after a lifetime of dormancy.

"Ten ration points says we got the kill of the day." Offers Miller, once they had started walking again.

"Miller…we don't _have _ration points." Melody points out with a small laugh, amused by the fact that even after all this time they still used the phrases they'd learned on the Ark.

"Oh. Right." Miller's brows furrowed as he thought about how to amend his statement. It was hard to bet anything in a world that offered you so little. Betting was dangerous, even when the odds weren't stacked against you.

"_Besides, _what would I do with ten ration points?" Melody wondered, knowing that currency -or at least _their _type of currency- was absolutely useless on Earth. "Burn them to keep warm?"

They all laughed at this, but no one had a better idea. It was strange to think that money, which had been such a precious thing to them on the Ark, no longer had any value. Down here, the richest man could be the poorest, and the poorest man could be the richest. What did it mean to be 'rich' anyways? To have power? The only thing that gave you power on Earth was _knowledge. _And as far as Melody was concerned, they all grew richer and richer with each passing day.

|oOo|

Trekking back to camp did take longer than expected, and they had broken Bellamy's one and only rule; don't stay out after dark. Luck must have been on their side for once, because they didn't run into any problems with the grounders or any wild animals. All in all, the hunt had been successful, and they would hopefully have a bit of food to store away for the winter.

The little group burst into camp excitedly, just dying to show everyone their trophy. The boys now carried the deer on their shoulders, towards the area where the smokehouse had been rebuilt. Melody was pleased to see that they hadn't been the only lucky campers. There were quite a few small animals that had been caught. Lots of foxes, squirrels, ducks, and rabbits. One group had even bagged themselves a panther. Finding food for the winter was just one more thing they no longer had to worry about.

Melody was eager to tell her friends about her epic hunting session, but they were nowhere to be found. Clarke and Finn were apparently still out in the woods. Melody would have worried if she didn't know how capable the two of them were at taking care of themselves. Monty was busily building _something _out of wires and bits of metal, so he wouldn't be approachable for at least a few hours. Octavia was off doing her own thing, and if Melody had to guess she would say Jasper wasn't too far behind. That left only one person…Bellamy.

After their little spat earlier, Melody had taken some time to think things through. It was true that she shouldn't have kissed Jasper, even if she'd only done it as a joke. If Melody was going to commit to Bellamy, then she was going to _commit. _ If Bellamy went around kissing other girls, would she be very happy? No, she would be furious. His jealousy was absolutely understandable, and so was the rest of his actions. _Understandable _and _right _were two very different things. But Melody was willing to look past it all if he was. A few apologetic words and then they could bury this fight in the past, and move on with their lives.

The first thing she did was look around camp. Bellamy could almost always be found wandering about, making sure that things ran smoothly. Sometimes he was on guard duty, but most nights he just kept the peace and oversaw whatever activities were happening around camp. When Melody didn't see him walking around, she checked at all of the stations she could think of; the communications tent, the armory, the dropship, and even the training yard. She asked around, but no one had seen him in _hours. _

"That's weird." Murmured Melody, as she scanned the darkened camp one final time, disappointed when she didn't see his face among the crowd. "Where the hell is he?"

And then, it hit her.

Where else would he be? They'd all had an extremely long day, what with the fire and the day trip. If Melody had a watch, it would probably read somewhere between nine and ten o'clock, which was a very sensible time for a young man, -especially a young man with such big responsibilities- to go to bed. He must be in his tent.

Approaching Bellamy's tent felt strange, as she'd never done it before. Melody had only been in his tent a time or two, and only then because Bellamy felt the need to lecture her in private. He always felt the need to grab her by the arm and drag her away from the public's eye. His tent always seemed a convenient location. But _this_ was something different entirely. She was not approaching his tent as a trouble maker in need of a scolding, but rather as a friend in need of forgiveness. Maybe _more _than a friend.

The two of them were close enough now that it never even occurred to Melody that she should make her presence known before just barreling into the tent. And barrel she did, yanking open the tent door and stumbling into the large, open space.

"Hey, Bel! You are _never _going to guess what happened today." Insisted Melody excitedly, as her gaze fell upon Bellamy. He was standing by the edge of his bed, pulling his belt through the loops of his jeans. When he looked up, he said nothing, which gave Melody the okay to continue. "You'll just have to see it for yourself. I swear, you won't be…" She trailed off,

There was the sound of rustling on the other side of the tent. It was then and only then that she realized that the two of them were not alone; they had an audience. Melody's gaze traveled the length of the room and fell upon the figure laying in Bellamy's bed. For a few seconds Melody could do nothing but stare at the woman, slack-jawed. Her green eyes opened and closed rapidly, trying to make sense of what they were seeing. Laying in Bellamy's bed, wearing nothing but his blanket, was Raven Reyes.

"Disappointed. "Melody's voice was little more than a broken whisper as she looked between Bellamy and Raven, tears already falling. She _hated _to cry, and rarely did so, but right now it seemed unavoidable. It was funny how Bellamy and Bellamy alone was always able to bring her to tears, seemingly without any effort at all. Her mind was racing as she struggled to piece together what must have happened in her absence.

Panicked brown eyes met hers, and Melody could see the guilt reflected there. Guilt…that was new. She had seen anger and surprise and amusement and mischief and joy reflected in those deep brown irises, but never guilt. It was strange what seeing that look did to her. That guilty look said what no words ever could. It felt as if the foundation of everything they'd worked so hard to achieve was slowly crumbling around her and she was helpless to stop it. And Melody wasn't very experienced when it came to these kinds of things, but it also felt an awful lot like heartbreak.

She hardly even heard him when he said, "Melody, let me explain."

Bellamy took a step towards her, and Melody took two steps back. They did this again, and again, until her back was pressed against the far end of the tent and she had nowhere else to go. Melody held up a shaky hand, signaling for him to stop. And, surprisingly, he did.

"I…" _You what_? "I…I…_oh god_." The hand she'd been using to put some distance between the two of them was slowly brought to cover her mouth as she stared at Bellamy, unable to voice what she was feeling.

But she didn't need to. The ability to communicate with a single glance was both a blessing and a curse, it seemed. As Melody stared at him, she knew that he could pinpoint every single emotion as she felt it. Pain, loss, embarrassment, betrayal. Each and every emotion hung suspended in the air between them, leaving Melody more vulnerable than she had ever been before.

"Melody, _please._"

"Please?" She asked, her voice on the edge of hysteria. "_Please what?_"

Bellamy didn't have an answer. He just stared at Melody, looking as helpless as she felt. Under different circumstances, she might have felt bad for him. But these were very special circumstances, and _nothing _he could do would make up for the fact that he had betrayed her in the worst way possible.

Raven was quickly scrambling off of the bed, searching for her clothing. She looked extremely uncomfortable, but Melody felt no sympathy for the girl. Her green eyes were cold as they followed Raven's every movement, her judgmental gaze never once wavering. Melody continued to stare at the girl, long after she was fully dressed and standing there, looking a little more than awkward.

_Please. Please say something, _begged Melody silently. _Anything. _

For once, Raven didn't disappoint.

"Look, Melody. I'm really-."

The apology was never finished, because Melody was suddenly lunging across the room, letting out a sound that was sounded something like a war cry. Just the sound of Raven's voice had sent her into a complete frenzy. Hatred burned bright within, and all Melody could think about was sinking her claws into whatever part of Raven she could reach. But before she could do any damage to the girl, Bellamy was between them, holding Melody tightly around the waist as she thrashed in his arms.

_If I let her go, she'll be out for blood_, Bellamy had once said.

The words had never been truer.

"How could you do this to me?" Melody shouted, her gaze finding Raven's once more. "We were supposed to be _friends_!"

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Raven shook her head and bit down on her lower lip, hard.

"You slept with Bellamy! _My _Bellamy." Suddenly, Melody could understand using the phrase '_everyone knows who you belong to.' _

"I didn't know-"

"You _did_ know! _Everybody _knows." Roared Melody, who was in no mood to listen to whatever lies Raven thought would get her out of this mess. This was something that Melody would not forget. It was something that she couldn't forgive.

"Melody…I'm sorry."

"No, you're not." Melody stopped thrashing about in Bellamy's arms, going completely still. Somehow, her calmness was even scarier than her anger. Green eyes were bright with fury as she pinned Raven with a murderous glare. "But you will be."

Melody was hurt, oh boy was she hurt. The pain was like nothing she had ever felt before. Everything ached, but none more than her heart. It was almost unbearable…_almost._ It's a well-known fact that eventually the hurt has to fade, and something new has to take its place. Melody's hurt was just the calm before the storm, a knee-jerk reaction more than anything. Once the hurt began to fade and the tears had begun to dry, it was anger seared through her veins like fire.

Raven scurried out of the tent then, looking as if she was on the verge of tears. Still, Melody didn't feel bad for her. Had anyone stopped to consider _her _feelings in all of this? As far as Melody was concerned, Raven could cry herself a river. And then drown in it.

Once it was just the two of them left in the tent, Melody rounded on Bellamy. She shoved him away from her with enough force that it sent him stumbling backwards. Slowly, her hands lowered and clenched into fists at her side. "Don't touch me." Said Melody, who was suddenly unable to bear the proximity between the two of them. "Don't you touch me ever again."

"Melody. _I'm sorry_, okay?" Bellamy insisted, but they both knew that it was far too late for apologies to be made. The damage had been done, and it was irreversible. "What can I do to fix this?"

"Fix this? There is no fixing this, Bellamy. You made your bed, and now you're going to have to lay in it. But don't worry; you obviously won't have to lay alone."

"It was a mistake. A stupid mistake."

"It wasn't a mistake." She shook her head. "It was a choice_. _You_ chose _to sleep with Raven. And you knew that it would hurt me. You probably wanted it to."

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have slept with Raven because I was angry with you. I knew it was a mistake immediately. I never wanted you to find out about this…I never wanted to hurt you."

Such an emotional declaration might have made a weaker woman swoon and forget all about the pain she'd been put through. But Melody was not a weak woman and his words did not have the desired effect.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Melody wondered, giving him a look that was both confused and exasperated. "Knowing that you would keep something like this from me? Because it doesn't, Bellamy."

"I'm not trying to make you feel better. I'm trying to apologize."

"Too late." Melody shrugged her shoulders. "I'm already over it. I'm over _you._"

She began walking away from him them, towards the exit. Bellamy reached out to grab her, as he always did when trying to get her attention, but when Melody recoiled away from him, he decided against it. Instead, he just stared at her longingly, while she remained impassive.

"Melody…sweetheart, talk to me." Pleaded Bellamy. It was obvious that he was distraught, but he wouldn't be finding any sympathy from her. "Don't just walk away."

The fact that he wouldn't just let her go was becoming increasingly annoying.

"You want to talk? Let's talk. Let's talk about the fact that for the last few weeks you've been leading me on. Let's talk about how much faith I put in you, how much _trust_, just for it all to be thrown back at me. Let's talk about all the times I stood up for you, against my friends, against my _family, _and let's talk about how you repaid me for it."

For the first time in a long time, Melody stared at Bellamy long and hard, only to be disappointed in what she saw. Her heart no longer fluttered when she looked into his eyes, nor did her stomach erupt in butterflies when he spoke. Melody no longer saw a strong, proud leader. She didn't even see anything resembling Bellamy in this man; not the Bellamy she knew, anyways. All she saw was the King; the man who got whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted it.

Well, she planned on being the exception to that rule.

This time, when she moved towards the door, he made no move to stop her. Melody slowly walked towards the entrance of the tent and pushed open the flap, before turning to look at him. Bellamy was staring at her impassively, jaw clenched tight as he watched her leave. It was obvious that he wanted her to stay and work through this, but as far as Melody was concerned they no longer had anything to work _for. _

"They were right about you, Bellamy." She said, not realizing just _how_ deep those words would resonate. Even if she had realized, Melody wouldn't have cared. Right now, she wanted to hurt him like he'd hurt her for hurting him. And judging by the look in his eyes as Melody left the tent, she had succeeded.

|oOo|

"I'll kill him."

"You can't kill him," Said Melody with a roll of her eyes. "That's the rule, remember? We don't decide who lives and dies."

"Rules are meant to be broken."

Jasper was pacing angrily around the dropship, running both hands through his already tousled hair, making it hand up at odd angles. His body was tense and he was practically shaking with pent-up frustration, and the fact that he had no way to release it. There was a scowl on his face and a foreign hardness to his eyes, making the typically friendly kid look nothing short of a ferocious warrior.

Melody watched Jasper with an amused smile, more grateful than ever to have such a friend. A friend who not only knew how to listen to and comfort her, but a friend who felt her pain as she felt it, who ached when she ached, and cried when she cried. A friend who, no matter what, would stand by her side.

After leaving Bellamy's tent, she had needed someone to talk to. And when it came to personal matters such as these, her options were limited. There was Octavia, of course, but Melody didn't want to involve her in this fight. Having to choose between your best friend and your brother was no easy task, and there had already been enough feuding between the Blake siblings to last a lifetime. There was Clarke who, while not as close to Melody as Octavia, had always been good at listening and offering advice. But Clarke was nowhere to be found. Finn wasn't even an option, because Melody knew that no good could come from him finding out about Bellamy and Raven. There was Monty, but he was far too sweet and understanding to be any help when Melody was in such an angry state.

That left Jasper.

The one person that Melody knew she could trust with anything. Jasper didn't judge and he didn't patronize and he never once said, 'I told you so.' He was the kind of person that just listened and offered both his compassion and his advice. Or, in cases such as this, he offered to off a guy. That, if you asked Melody, was the true definition of friendship.

"I just don't get it," Said Melody, who was sprawled out across the upper level floor, hands behind her head as she stared at the metal ceiling. "I thought he liked me."

"Liked you? Melody Pond, are you blind?" Demanded Jasper, halting his pacing to give her an incredulous look, brown gaze narrowing slightly.

"Only when it matters, apparently."

"For being such a know-it-all, you're kind of a dumbass." Commented Jasper, and then he was pacing again.

"Thanks, Jas." Said Melody, once again rolling her eyes. "Means a lot, coming from you."

"And how can you be so calm?" Demanded Jasper, who was anything but. "I mean, the guy just broke your heart. Totally shattered it, into a million pieces."

"Again, thank you." Melody was now scowling at the ceiling. "What a lovely reminder."

"Why aren't you crying? Screaming? Throwing punches?"

"Well, I already cried." Said Melody, with a small shrug. "And I screamed a little bit. I tried to take a chunk out of Raven, but Bellamy intercepted. I did threaten her, though. And I basically told Bellamy to go float himself." She vaguely described what had transpired in the tent, ticking off the events on her fingers. "All in all, I would say my reaction was pretty satisfactory."

"Satisfactory would have been giving Bellamy a black eye or shooting him in the foot or setting his tent on fire…" Jasper trailed off, thinking of all the possibilities.

"That's a little extreme, don't you think?" Wondered Melody, caught somewhere between amusement and grievance.

"Extreme? Melody, he-,"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. _Shattered my heart_." She rolled her eyes and pushed herself into an upright position. Melody gently patted her chest, right above her heart. "Seems pretty sturdy to me."

Jasper wasn't fooled. He knew Melody better than anyone else, and he had long ago learned that her tough exterior was nothing more than a defense mechanism. She liked to appear to be cool and calm and collected, but inside he knew she must be hurting. Whether Melody wanted to admit it or not, she'd fallen for the guy. She was the kind of girl who fell hard and fast, plummeting without even realizing until it was far too late. Everything she did, she did passionately. She fought passionately, she learned passionately, she lived passionately, she hated passionately, and, most of all, she loved passionately.

It wasn't until she put on her brave face, and insisted that she was alright, that Jasper realized just how much this had actually hurt Melody. It hadn't just hurt her pride; it had hurt her heart. And it was then that he realized if what she said was true, that she and Bellamy had been just friends, then she wouldn't really be sitting in the dropship, wallowing.

It was then that he had a change of heart.

"Come on, Mels. I know you're not over it." Jasper's voice suddenly held a soft, soothing edge as he lowered himself to the ground beside her. One of his long arms was draped around her shoulders, urging her into his side. "Talk to me."

"What do you want me to say?" Asked Melody, who slouched against Jasper, looking as if all of the fight had been drained out of her. It saddened Jasper to see her looking so tired and weary. "I've cried all of my tears. I've screamed until my voice was raw. I fought until I got what I wanted. It's over, Jasper. It's done."

But Jasper knew better.

"I want you to be honest, Melody." He stared down at her, his brown eyes searching hers for the truth, although he was fairly certain of the answer before he even asked the question. "Do you love him?"

Love.

It was such a funny, complicated little word. So much meaning was packed into just four tiny letters. Until coming down to Earth, Melody was almost certain that she knew what love meant. It was what she felt for her mother, for her father, for her grandparents. A word that was supposed to bind them together, as if blood didn't already do that for them. It was what she was expected to feel for all of the important things in her life. It was something she had always said, sometimes without even realizing it, and most of the time without even meaning it. Some people believed it was what made life worth living. It wasn't until she got down to Earth, until she really started living, that Melody realized just how right those people were. And it was then that she realized you couldn't condition someone to love you. Love was something that came naturally, without you having to be told to feel it. Love could creep up on you slowly, or it could hit you like a ton of bricks. Love was so very complex and it could have a hundred different meanings, depending on who you were talking about.

But when Bellamy was involved, there was only _one_ meaning, and Melody felt it stronger than anything. She felt it with every single fiber of her being. There was absolutely no doubt in her mind.

Turning her head, she looked up at Jasper. "Does it matter?"

"Of course." He nodded, giving her a strange look. "If you love him, you should be with him. You shouldn't let anyone, not Raven and not even me, with my idle threats, get in the way."

Melody smiled at him then, but it was a sad little smile. Jasper was a hopeless romantic, who had yet to realize that real love wasn't like what they described in books. True love couldn't break any spells, and it couldn't conquer all. Love wasn't all kisses and sweet words and unity. Love could be messy and painful and it could fizzle out just as quickly as it came to be. In the real world, happy endings just didn't exist.

"Why?" She wondered, honestly curious as to what Jasper thought about the whole situation.

"Because if you love someone, you shouldn't stop fighting for them. Not ever." Declared Jasper, just as Melody knew he would.

"And when someone loves you, there should be no competition."

|oOo|

"This morning, all I could think about was how much easier this would all be if Finn was just..._gone._" Admitted Raven, shaking her head slightly when she spoke to Octavia and to Melody as the trio moved through the darkened forest.

They were on a search and rescue mission, one inspired by the fact that Clarke, Finn, and Myles hadn't come back to camp. Everyone was getting worried about them, Melody included. She'd been the first to offer her help…she hadn't been the first to express a desire to pair up with Raven. It was Octavia who insisted that the three of them should go together. _Just in case, _she had said. Melody's only other options were Bellamy, who she currently wasn't speaking to, and Monty, who insisted on scouting the area alone. Reluctantly, she had grabbed her bow and a gun, -again; _just in case_\- and followed the two girls out of camp.

The sun had gone down long ago, and they were working with nothing but moonlight now. Melody led the group, preferring to walk briskly ahead of them so that she didn't get wrapped into small-talk. Raven and Octavia dawdled behind, talking amongst themselves every now and again. They all kept their eyes peeled and their weapons raised, looking for any sign of activity in the forest.

"You didn't wish this into being, Raven." Octavia did her best to soothe the other girl, but she wasn't one for coddling. As she spoke, her voice was hard and her attention remained fully on the task at hand. "Stop torturing yourself."

"I don't know, O." Chimed in Melody, speaking for the first time since they had left the camp, in a tone that was cool and distant. She looked over her shoulder at Raven saying, "Sounds like karma to me."

Oblivious to the double meaning behind those words and, in general, the tension in the room, Octavia simply rolled her eyes and said, "You are _not _helping, Melody."

Raven, however, looked at Melody for a moment and then lowered her gaze with a soft sigh. A pang of guilt shot through Melody, but she pushed it away as quickly as it had come. She was _not _the bad guy here. Bellamy and Raven should be held accountable for what they had done. Sorry simply wasn't enough. A few months ago, Melody probably would have been absolutely heartbroken. She would have run away from the situation and from the two of them without a second glance. But now, things were different. When given the option to fight or flee, Melody was going to fight. Every time.

"_Hey, is anyone else hearing this signal?" _Monty's voice came through the walkie-talkie sounding a bit scratchy and disoriented.

"Just keep your eyes open." Replied Raven, who was in charge of communicating.

"_I think it's the same thing we heard in the black box._" Continued Monty, sounding confused.

"_Damn it, Monty. Pay Attention." _Bellamy's slightly impatient voice could be heard transmitting to both devices. _"Do you see anything?" _Monty failed to answer, prompting Bellamy to say, _"Report."_

There was a sharp sound coming from the walkie-talkie suddenly, and Melody turned to look at Raven with a frown. "What was that?"

Without getting an answer, her attention was taken away from one mystery sound and directed towards another; a rustling in the bushes. Melody immediately raised her bow, knocking an arrow and drawing back the string in the blink of an eye. Her green gaze studied the bushes closely, searching for any sign of further movement. Behind her, Octavia and Raven raised their weapons.

The three of them began to approach cautiously. Melody slowed down her pace so that she was in step with the other two. Exchanging a worried look with Octavia, Melody nodded her head towards the bush as if to ask, '_Should I get it_?' Octavia shook her head gestured for the two of them to fall back. She moved forward, slowly for a few moments, before pouncing on the plant and yanking back a few of the large branches.

Laying on a bed of moss with an arrow protruding from a bloody wound in his chest, was Myles, the young boy who had gone out to hunt with Clarke and Finn. When they approached, he groaned and lifted his head weakly, dirt-covered face showing surprise before suddenly distorting into a pained expression. "Uhhh." Groaned the boy, allowing his head to fall back and his eyes to flutter shut.

"Myles." Octavia said, bending down beside the boy.

"Myles, what happened?" Asked Raven.

"Are you _okay?_" Melody said, her voice louder than the rest of them. It was obvious that he wasn't okay as far as normal standards went, but he wasn't _dead_, so she figured asking the question wasn't completely out of the question.

"Clarke and Finn." Raven showed no concern for the boy's well-being and no remorse for her thoughtlessness when she asked, "Where are they?"

"Grounders." Said Myles quietly, moaning painfully once more. "Grounders took them."

The four of them who _weren't _laying on the ground in pain exchanged worried looks. If the grounders had Clarke and Finn then there was no telling what might happen. They could be dead by now, or worse. Everyone knew that the grounders weren't above capture and torture; Murphy was living proof of that. Maybe there was a chance that they were still alive…for now. Until they were no longer useful.

"We have to get him back to camp." Bellamy said, thinking more rationally then the rest of them.

"Bel, what about Finn and Clarke?" Wondered Octavia, looking from the wounded boy to her brother and then back again. It was a hard decision, but there was really only one logical answer.

Raven was taking it harder than any of them. She sighed softly, but it was a choked sigh, as if she were on the verge of tears. The girl stood up and began to walk away, which prompted Bellamy to stand up and speak.

"Raven. I'm sorry." There was no mistaking the sincerity in his voice. But he was the leader, and he had to make the tough decision, regardless of what the rest of them thought.

The two of them shared a look. A look that, if you asked Melody, was far too personal. So personal, in fact, that she had to look away, and instead focused her attention on Myles. She offered the boy a shaky smile and told him that everything was going to be okay. She'd said it so many times now that the lie almost sounded convincing.

Raven announced that they needed to make a stretcher, and so she and Octavia began to gather materials. Melody hung back, choosing to stay with Myles instead. Her worried gaze kept flickering towards Myles and the woods, as if by staring long enough she could somehow will Clarke and Finn to come bursting through the treeline, unharmed.

From where he stood hovering near the pair on the ground, Bellamy tried his radio again. "Monty, we're heading home. You copy?" As the seconds ticked by, there was no word from the other end of the line. Bellamy frowned, and tried again. "Monty, do you hear me?" The line remained dead. "Monty. _Monty. _Monty, where the hell are you?"

Melody stood up suddenly and snatched the walkie-talkie out of Bellamy's hands, bringing it to her mouth. "Monty, this isn't the time for jokes." She tried to hide the concern she felt, but it was evident in everything from the tone of her voice to the way she stared expectantly at the hand-held device, waiting for an answer. "Are you alive, slick?"

She was greeted only by silence.


	30. Chapter 30

_If you haven't realized it already, I added a little bit to the last chapter after posting it, so feel free to go back and check it out. :)_

**Chapter Thirty**

_Bellamy's Pov_

Leading camp in the wake of Clarke's disappearance was proving to be more difficult than Bellamy would have thought.

He knew that he was not as strong a leader as Clarke. Perhaps physically he excelled, but not mentally. Not emotionally. What Melody had long ago accused him of was the truth; he ruled with fear. If he kept the people scared, he kept them obedient. Clarke was the one who listened to their concerns, who sympathized with them. She was the one who kept their morale high and their determination from wavering. She was the one who knew how to hold them together in times of trouble and in times of weakness. Clarke knew how to keep a balance, whereas Bellamy always seemed to tip the scale too far one way or another.

There was only _one_ other person in camp who could keep things in check the way Clarke had always done; Melody. The girl could rule with an iron fist, but at the same time manage to win the love and adoration of her people. There was a time when she had hungered for leadership, for the chance to prove herself to not only him, but to the people that she cared so greatly for. And if things had been different, if only he hadn't gone and ruined things between the two of them, then perhaps Melody might actually agree to help him. After all, there was no one else that Bellamy would rather have ruling at his side.

"Come on, guys." Shouted Bellamy irritably, towards a group of idling campers who were _supposed _to be building a foxhole, which was basically a little trench-like area that the gunners would be stationed at when it came time for war. "Those foxholes aren't going to build themselves."

At his command, the campers got back to work, and so Bellamy continued on towards where he could see the outline of two bodies hunched over side-by-side in the dirt. He knew that it was Jasper and Raven, who were trying to make a small minefield. The landmines had been Raven's idea and it was an idea that Bellamy still wasn't very fond of. Making any sort of bomb meant a lot of extra gunpowder being used up, which took away from their bullet supply. Raven was smart, but it took a _lot_ of convincingfor Bellamy to trust her judgement.

"You'd better hope those landmines work." Bellamy came to a stop just behind the two of them, watching as they continued making the mines, the design behind the weapons completely lost on him. "With all that gunpowder we're wasting, we could be making more grenades." He pointed out, for probably the tenth time since he'd agreed to let them go ahead with their minefield.

Raven sat up slightly at the sound of his voice, and Bellamy could practically _see _the annoyed look on her face when she spoke. "Want to come over here and test one out?"

There were few people who could get away with saying things like that to him. Bellamy didn't know if it was because of the fact that Raven was one of his 'friends,' -he didn't really have many friends, but rather campers that he tolerated more so than others- or if it was because of the fact that the two of them had been _more than friends_, but apparently she was one of those select few now.

Unamused, he replied with, "_Cute_. I need this entire section mined by morning. Then, you can finish the south field."

Bellamy turned to walk away, but apparently his words hadn't satisfied Raven. She was immediately up and jogging after him, silently urging him to stop with the press of her hand against his arm. Bellamy turned away from her touch and scowled, waiting for her complaint.

"Hey," Raven frowned, giving him an almost confused look. "I told you, we're going after Finn, Clarke, and Monty in the morning."

"You don't _tell me _anything, Raven. I tell you." His voice came out sharper than intended, but Bellamy couldn't have cared less. "And I told youthat no one is leaving this camp."

The irritation he felt for the girl had been growing steadily throughout the day and it was threatening to burst out of him, in the form of harsh words. He shouldn't be so mad at Raven for something that _he _had chosen to do, but that didn't change the fact that he _was _angry with her. Angry at her for being in his tent. Angry at her for taking her clothes off. Angry at her for making him an offer that, at the time, he couldn't refuse. Most of all, he was angry at her for having part in the destruction of the only good thing he had going for him.

Bellamy turned away from her then, not wanting to unleash his anger on Raven who he knew was not entirely deserving of it. He took a few steps and then heard her following behind him, unwilling to end the conversation. It wasn't until Raven called out to him again that Bellamy sighed and turned to face her, giving her a stern look.

"We can't just abandon our people." Said Raven, shaking her head. "If you want to lead them," She gave him a quick once-over then, as if searching for something, only to find herself disappointed when her eyes came to rest on his once more. "Show them you give a damn."

Bellamy wanted to scream at her then, to tell her that she had no right to accuse him of something as awful as abandoning his own people. He ached to remind her that they had been _his _people long before they'd been hers. He wanted to lash out at her, to ask Raven how it was possible that she was selfish enough to risk everyone's security just so she could go on a wild goose chase for the boyfriend that she'd been all too eager to forget just a few hours prior.

Before he had the chance to do any of this, the sound of a gunshot filled the air.

Shouts rang out first as panic set in, but eventually the worried shouts faded into complaints when people realized that the only danger was some asshole who'd accidentally fired off his gun. Standing up on the wall, one of the gunners was quickly re-adjusting his gun, looking wide-eyed and guilty as he did so.

"Hey, what the hell is the matter with you?" Without a second thought, Bellamy began charging up the hill and towards the boy, anger practically radiating off of him in waves. He grabbed the kid by the front of the shirt and gave him a firm shake.

"I'm sorry. I fell asleep. I've been on watch all day…" The kid uttered some half-assed excuse, which only managed to anger Bellamy further.

"We've _all _been on watch all day!" Once again he shook the kid, making sure to get his point across. "That bullet is one less dead grounder."

"Bel," Piped up Octavia, who was glancing between the gathering crowd and her brother worriedly. "You're scaring people."

"They should be scared!" Now that he had begun to release some of his anger, it seemed impossible to reign his self-control back in. "The bomb on the bridge bought us some time to prepare, but that time is up. The grounders are out there _right now_, waiting for us to leave and picking us off one by one when we do. Clarke, Finn, and Monty are gone, probably _dead_, and if you want to be next, I can't stop you, but no guns are leaving this camp. This camp is the only thing keeping us alive." With each word his voice had risen and become fuller of emotion as Bellamy desperately sought to make them understand just how dire the threat was right now. As he gazed around at the campers, not knowing if his speech had done them any good, or if it had succeeded in discouraging them even further. With a heavy sigh, he waved them away, effectively dismissing the group. "Get back to work!"

Bellamy stood at the top of the wall, staring out at the forest. All was quiet on the other side of the wall, but that didn't mean anything. The grounders were smarter than what everyone gave them credit for. They were quiet and they were quick and they were damn near invisible, hiding up in the trees, all decked out in war paint that helped them to blend in with their surroundings. Why did no one else realize this? Clarke, Finn, Raven, Melody, Jasper, Monroe, Murphy, and Octavia were the only ones who had ever truly gone up against the grounders, had fought them, and knew just how well adapted the natives were. That was only _eigh_t people out of nearly one hundred; nine if you counted Bellamy. Nine people who truly understood what they were going up, and ninety who didn't.

They were in over their heads now and had no choice but to see this through. Bellamy couldn't help but to feel like he was doing nothing more than humoring himself and the other campers. In the end, he was certain that he would be leading his people to their demise. They would all die, and for what? Because they had accidentally torched a grounder village or two on their way down to Earth? Because they'd been unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Because the people of the Ark were too self-centered to send down actual soldiers to clear the area, rather than an unorganized group of juvenile delinquents?

It was unfair. So much blood, sweat, tears, and dedication had gone into the creation of their camp, of their army, and of the bonds that they had formed while on earth. They were no longer just some band of criminals; no, they were all a part of something bigger than that. And to think that all of that progress could be wiped away in the blink of an eye, with nothing to show for it. In a few days' time, they would be nothing but a failed experiment in the eyes of the Ark.

Bellamy knew very well what Melody would say if she could hear him now. _Stop your complaining and lead them_, she would tell him._ Don't give up when they need you the most. _

And so, he decided to listen to that little voice of reason in his head. Knowing that he couldn't very well sit around and worry, Bellamy turned around and began to descend the wall, looking for a project to oversee or someone who he could discuss battle tactics with. Maybe, if he was feeling up to it, he would help with building the foxholes, since those were the key to being able to get in and out of camp quickly, allowing them to fight in the forests. There was always the option of spending some quality time with Jasper and Raven, his two least favorite people as of now. Or, if he was feeling particularly sadistic, maybe he would even seek out the little redheaded warrior who was currently occupying every inch of his brain.

Deciding that none of those options sounded very good, Bellamy decided to head towards the dropship. He wanted to check up on that kid, Myles, and he also wanted to begin strategizing for battle. The last thing Bellamy wanted was to spend another minute in the heart of camp, surrounded by an overwhelming amount of scared and anxious teenagers.

He entered the dropship and his eyes immediately found the kid, laying on one of the cots that had been left over from when everyone came down with the mystery virus. Myles was just lying there, face twisted into a miserable expression as he tried to keep himself quiet.

"Hey, Myles." Bellamy moved closer and looked down at the kid, brows furrowing as he looked at his wound. Clarke was their doctor and without her, there wasn't much they could do for the poor kid. "How are you doing?"

"Fine." Myles gasped out, nodding his head rapidly. "I'm doing fine."

Bellamy knew that the kid was lying, but he didn't say anything about it. Instead, he nodded once and moved towards the other side of the dropship, where they had set up a bit of a map and little pawns, so that they could go over different battle tactics. Bellamy picked up one of the little pieces and held it between two of his fingers, staring long and hard at the map.

No one ever told you how hard it was. Being in charge sounds good, in theory, but the reality is so much different. What was _he _supposed to know about war? Bellamy had spent less than a year training as a guard. The only reason he'd even had the job for that long was because of the fact that his mother was pretty friendly with the guy in charge. After being let go from his position, he'd spent the remainder of his time on the Ark as a janitor. Nothing in his life had prepared him for this moment.

Placing the piece back down on the map, Bellamy tried to figure out where he was going to position his people. It was obvious that he would need at least two or three men at the end of every foxhole. After they made the series of tunnels that led out of camp they were going to dig deep trenches at the ends and set up areas to position their gunmen. Bellamy knew that he couldn't spare _too _many people outside of camp. There would have to be men on the walls, which would be their last attempt at keeping the grounders out of camp. There would also have to be mean scattered throughout camp, particularly close to the dropship, to protect those who couldn't protect themselves.

The hard part wasn't figuring out what needed to be done. The hard part was figuring out how to balance his gunmen. How many people should he allow outside of camp? More than he was putting inside, or less? Could he rely on the men outside of camp to keep the grounders from getting too close? Or should he have more people inside the camp and on the walls? There were so many '_what ifs' _that Bellamy could hardly stand it. He didn't know how this was going to play out; no one did. He had to guess on everything it seemed. And what would happen if he guessed wrong?

With a frustrated sigh he pushed away from the map. There was the sound of rustling from across the room, and when Bellamy turned to face the noise he came face to face with Jasper. The dark haired male paused, giving Bellamy a look of absolute loathing. Inwardly, Bellamy sighed. Why did _he _always have to be made out to be the bad guy?

Turning towards Jasper, he asked, "Don't you think I want to go after them, too?"

Jasper sighed softly. "If it was you out there….do you think Monty, Clarke, or Finn would hide behind these walls?"

Hide? _Hide_? Bellamy wasn't trying to hide. All he cared about was keeping the rest of his people alive. Why was it so hard for everyone to realize that he was doing this for their own good?

No," Bellamy said softly, shaking his head. "They would go after me, and they'd be dead too."

Jasper scoffed.

"I'm doing what I think is right for the group." Insisted Bellamy.

Still, Jasper just shook his head and walked past him. "Funny. You didn't think that way when Octavia went missing."

Bellamy wanted to argue with that, but he couldn't. Jasper was right. When Octavia had gone missing, Bellamy had immediately assembled a search party. But that was different. Octavia was his sister, his responsibility, and Bellamy wouldn't be able to live with himself if something had happened to her. There were only two people in this entire camp that he would risk searching for at a time like this. And, thankfully, they were both safely tucked away inside of their tent at the moment.

"What do you want me to say, Jasper? I can't risk it. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, whatever." The boy rolled his eyes, as if he hadn't expected anything more than that. "You're always sorry."

Something about the way he said the words caused Bellamy to tense. As the two of them stared at each other, locked in a silent battle, it became more and more apparent that Jasper was no longer talking about looking for their friends. Bellamy scowled as he realized just what Jasper was implying. _Now _the kid had crossed a line.

"You don't know what you're talking about, Jasper." He said coldly, shaking his head. "Leave it alone."

"Leave it alone? Melody is my best friend. You hurt her and you hurt me." Insisted Jasper, as if Bellamy didn't already know that. "I can't just leave it alone,Bellamy."

"You can and you _will._" His voice was firmer now and he raised his eyebrows slightly, daring Jasper to challenge his authority.

He didn't really feel like discussing his bad decisions right now, especially with Jasper. If it were _Melody _on the other hand, he would be more than glad to hash it out. In fact, that was exactly what the two of them needed right now. But she was currently avoiding Bellamy, purposefully giving him the cold shoulder. Any time she saw him she made it a point to raise her head high and ignore him. That was how he knew that she was _really _upset. Too upset for tears and too upset for screaming at him. He'd hurt her to the point that Melody was reverting to her old ways and burying all of her problems just beneath the surface, refusing to let anyone see or help with them.

Bellamy knew that Melody's dismissal of her problems was _much _worse than her anger.

"Hey." Bellamy noticed when Jasper began to move towards the ladder, which led to the second floor. "Where are you going?"

With an exaggerated sigh, Jasper turned to face him. "To get more gunpowder for your minefield." Raising his hand to his forehead, Jasper gave Bellamy a mock salute. "_Sir._"

Too disturbed to stop him, Bellamy just watched as Jasper began to climb the ladder. Make that yet another person who was pissed off and disappointed in him. Shaking his head, Bellamy turned around towards the map once more. He paused when he heard the kid on the bed, Myles, begging for some water. Sighing softly, Bellamy said, "I'll get you some."

He left the dropship then and went to the water basin. As he stood there, Bellamy found himself thinking about how strange this all was. A few months could really change a guy. When they'd first come down, he was threatening to kill Jasper, who had taken a spear to the chest. Now, he was fetching water for a kid who was in the same situation, doing his best to make sure the guy was comfortable. What had happened?

_Melody happened._ Melody Pond was solely responsible for molding Bellamy into the man he was today. Or, at the very least, she was to thank for all of his redeeming qualities. Melody had opened his eyes and showed him so many things, things that Bellamy wouldn't have thought possible for a guy like him. Friendship, compassion, forgiveness, love. He owed her more than he could ever repay. She had essentially saved him from himself.

Bellamy was walking back to camp, water in hand, when suddenly the radio hooked to his belt went off. "_You know what happens if you tell Bellamy." _It was Murphy's voice, sounding anxious.

Eyes narrowing, Bellamy stopped in his tracks and brought the radio to his lips. "Tell Bellamy what?" He asked, already getting a bad feeling about this.

"_Give me the radio, Jasper." _

Bellamy was striding towards the dropship when he heard Jasper's voice come on the radio, speaking almost too quickly for him to understand. "_Murphy's got a gun. He killed Miles." _There was the sound of scuffling, and then a low _thud_.

By this point, Bellamy knew that something wasn't right. Things between the two of them sounded far too tense for his liking. He should have known that Murphy would start his old shit as soon as he got comfortable in camp. They were going to have to change that.

"Murphy, what the hell are you doing?"

Bellamy was answered by the loud sound of gears turning. For a moment he was puzzled, but then he realized what was happening. _He's closing the dropship door. _The thought had no more than crossed his mind when Bellamy broke out into a run. He rounded the corner and saw the dropship door rising, far too quickly for him to do anything about it.

"Murphy!" Bellamy shouted, watching worriedly. "Open the damn door!"

Even above the sound of the dropship door closing, he could hear Murphy's response.

"You try to be a hero and Jasper dies."

|oOo|

"Melody!"

Melody was sitting in one of the foxholes busily making new arrows when she heard Octavia's shout. A feeling of dread immediately coursed through Melody's veins like a dash of icy water. All she could think was, _what now_? How could this day possibly get any worse? _First_, she'd been forbidden to go out and find her friends. _Then,_ she had been isolated from the rest of the camp when Miller had asked her to oversee the making of the foxholes. _Now_, Octavia was clearly in a state of panic about something.

Melody quickly climbed to her feet, shoving new and unfinished arrows alike into her quiver, before slinging it over her shoulder. By the time she was moving back towards the path which led to camp, Octavia was bursting into the foxhole, hair tangled and chest heaving. Obviously, she had been running.

"Hey, O." Melody looked over at Octavia and immediately realized that whatever had gotten Octavia all worked up was really, _really _bad. "What's wrong?"

"It's Jasper." Gasped Octavia as she paused to catch her breath. The girl reached out and placed a hand on either one of Melody's shoulders, gripping her tight. "We need to hurry."

That was all it took. Soon, both girls were sprinting towards camp once more, ducking low through the man-made tunnel that had just recently been built to connect the foxhole and the camp. They were _very _efficient when it came to getting back and forth quickly.

By the time they reached the end of the tunnel, they had to drop down onto their hands and knees and crawl through the small opening that led into camp. Melody pulled herself through and the moment her feet hit the ground, she was running once more despite the protest from her aching muscles.

"I just heard Murphy has Jasper." Said Octavia, as the two girls came to a sudden stop in front of Bellamy.

Melody's heart was racing, but it wasn't just from the run. _Murphy has Jasper. _The realization hit her hard, and suddenly Melody felt so stupid for trusting John Murphy. After everything he'd done, she should have known that he would never truly change. But she'd been insistent on letting him stay in camp. She had been so _sure _that things would be different this time around. That's what hope got you; disappointment.

"Yeah." Bellamy's voice was quiet, and calm. _Too _calm. His brown gaze flickered between the two of them and he asked, "South foxhole done?"

"What?"

Both girls stared at him with widened eyes and confused expressions. That was all he had to say about it? Jasper was locked in the dropship with a psycho path and all he cared about was his stupid foxholes?

"Bellamy, my friend is in there with a killer." Pointed out Octavia, gesturing angrily towards the dropship.

"O, look around. No one's working. If the grounders attack us now, we're all dead." Bellamy said quietly, looking worried.

Octavia, fed up with her brother's lack of concern, pushed past him and bound up to the dropship. "Murphy!" She bellowed, glaring up at the ship. "Murphy, if you even _touch _Jasper…I swear to God! You're dead!"

Bellamy stepped forward and grabbed his sister by the arm. "Octavia, I got this."

"Really? Because you don't look like you're doing anything about it."

Melody had to agree with that. She felt both disgusted and outraged as she watched Bellamy just stand there, looking totally calm. How could he not care? It was _Jasper_. At the very least, he knew how much Jasper meant to her. And if he cared about her as much as he claimed to, he would avoid putting her through any more pain.

Speaking of pain…Raven chose that exact moment to come walking up. Melody had a sudden desire to turn around and run back to her foxhole. Seeing Raven and Bellamy separately was bad enough. But seeing them together? It brought back memories that she was doing her best to bury.

"Bellamy, you're right. There's a loose panel." Said Raven quietly, sending a glance towards the dropship. "If I can pop it out, we can get in through the floor."

As selfish as it was, Melody didn't want Raven's help. Her pride was screaming for her to tell Raven to get lost, that they could do this by themselves. But that was far from the truth. Raven was a mechanic and she was their only chance at getting into the dropship and helping Jasper. So, Melody kept her mouth shut and refused to put her pride before Jasper's life.

"Do it." Melody said, giving Raven a serious look. "He can't die, Raven."

Raven looked at Melody and nodded shortly, before walking away. With a heavy sigh, Melody turned back to face Octavia and Bellamy. They were both looking at her, obviously gauging her reaction. Right now, Melody didn't know how she was supposed to feel. Shocked, maybe? For some reason she'd never thought that this could happen to them. All of their threats were supposed to be on the opposite side of the wall. Yet, sure enough, they were being attacked from within. And how was she supposed to handle that? How was she supposed to handle the realization that Jasper was currently in danger because of her lack of good judgement?

"You alright, Melody?" Bellamy asked, after Octavia had left them alone.

"Do you even care?"

Bellamy frowned at her. "Of course I care. You know that."

Of _course_ he did.

Under different circumstances, Melody would have been glad to have Bellamy by her side. She would have sought out his comfort, perhaps by taking his hand in hers or curling up into his side. But right now, all she wanted was for him to go away, to leave her alone. These thoughts mixed with the concerned look he was giving her only succeeded in making Melody feel like a complete asshole, yet again. Somehow she _always _felt like the asshole.

"I don't even know what being 'alright' means anymore, Bellamy." She said honestly, turning her gaze towards the dropship once more, desperate to get away from his wounded puppy dog look. "But I don't think this is it."

First Clarke and Finn, then Monty, and now Jasper? It truly felt like the world was against her. All of her friends were slowly being picked off, one by one. And she'd thought that the impending grounder attack was going to be her biggest worry.

"Want to talk about it?"

Melody laughed bitterly at the painfully mundane question. "What good is that going to do?" She asked, forcing herself to look at Bellamy once more. "It isn't going to help Jasper."

"No, but it might help _you._" Insisted Bellamy. "You can't keep everything bottled up inside, Melody. It's not healthy."

"I don't keep everything bottled up inside." She scowled at him and crossed her arms defensively over her chest.

"Yes, you do. You push your feelings down deep and you become some sort of an ice queen. Some days it's like you don't even have feelings at all." Accused Bellamy, with a frown.

"Ice queen?" She gasped, brows raising in surprise. "_I'm _the one with no feelings? Really, Bellamy?" He was awfully hypocritical, considering the fact that he showed about as much emotion as a brick.

"You sure as hell act like it sometimes."

"I can't believe you would say something like that to me." Melody was so angry and upset that she could practically feel her hands beginning to shake.

"If the shoe fits…"

"Screw you!" She shouted, whirling around to poke him in the chest, hard. "You have no right to lecture me on how I should or shouldn't feel, Bellamy."

"You're being stubborn, Melody. Too stubborn for your own good." He insisted, his own voice raising as he stared down at her, oblivious to the finger in his chest. "We need to talk about what happened. You can't just shut me out."

"Why? _Why _do we need to talk? It isn't going to change things."

"How do you _know_?" Demanded Bellamy, stepping closer to her.

"Because _nothing _is going to change the fact that you cheated on me." She snapped, taking a step away from him, once again unable to bear their close proximity.

Bellamy looked surprised as he stared down at her. He blinked a few times and opened his mouth to speak, but immediately closed it again. Finally, he said, "Cheated on you? Melody, is that why you're so upset?"

"Of course! You slept with another woman, Bellamy. Why else would I be upset?" She wondered aloud, frowning at him.

"Melody…we weren't dating." Bellamy pointed out, shaking his head in confusion. "I didn't cheat on you. I would never do that."

"Are you trying to get out of this on a _technicality_?" She asked, giving him a surprised look. "Am I supposed to forgive you now?" Asked Melody, taken aback. "Am I supposed to forget about it all, just because we weren't _technically _dating?"

"Of course not." Bellamy shook his head quickly, giving her a serious look. "You're not supposed to forget when people hurt you, Melody. Not even when it's me. But would it kill you to _forgive_? I screwed up. I _know_ that. But I didn't screw up as badly as you're making it out to be."

"Is that so?" She arched a brow in question, still surprised that, in Bellamy's mind, the fact that they weren't dating made his actions more understandable.

"I know I hurt you. That's non-debatable. As for cheating on you…I didn't. If I'd realized that it was your pride getting in the way of us reconciling, I would have pointed that out a long time ago."

"This isn't about my pride." Snapped Melody.

"Yes, it is. You were more hurt by the _thought_ of my betrayal than the actual betrayal itself."

Some days she hated how well Bellamy knew her. It was true that she'd been more upset by the thought of him hurting her than the actual act, itself. And the fact that he was right only succeeded in making her all the angrier.

"Let me make it right, Melody." He pleaded, giving her a look that once would have made her insides all warm and fuzzy. "Please."

But she wasn't willing to give in so easily.

"You want to make it right? Fine." Melody said, pointing to the dropship angrily. "You can make it right by going in there and getting Jasper."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

That was the whole point. Melody knew that it was impossible for Bellamy to get Jasper out of the dropship. She had purposefully given him an impossible task, just so she wouldn't have to give into his request. Maybe she was stubborn, and maybe she was prideful, but Melody just wasn't ready to forgive him.

"I guess if you really want to make it up to me, you're just going to have to figure it out, aren't you?" She asked, doing her best not to seem smug as she turned her back on him and stared up at the dropship once more.

There was a few beats of silence, and then Bellamy was talking once more.

"Come on, Murphy." He said, into the radio. "You don't want to hurt Jasper. You want to hurt me. So…what do you say? How about you trade him for me?"

Melody gasped and spun around, green eyes widening. "No." She whispered, shaking her head slowly. That wasn't what she had meant. That wasn't what she had wanted him to do. Sacrificing himself for Jasper was far too risky.

"All you have to do is let him go." Bellamy announced into the radio, locking eyes with Melody as he did so. "I'll take his place."

There was silence, and then, "_How_?"

Melody was moving forward, but not as quickly as Octavia. The dark-haired girl grasped her brother by the shirt and tried to talk some sense into him. "Bellamy, if you do this, he'll kill you."

"If I don't do it, he'll kill Jasper."

"Bellamy, _no._" Melody said, louder this time. "I didn't mean it like that. You can't do this. You can't go in there."

"What other choice do I have, Melody? This is my fight. Murphy is pissed off at me. I can't let Jasper take the fall." He pointed out. Softly, he added, "And you need him."

"I need _you._" The revelation hit her hard, and suddenly Melody was fighting back tears. She didn't want to be with Bellamy right now, not after what he'd done. But she didn't want him dead, either. Whether she liked it or not, Bellamy was always going to have a special place in her heart. She _needed _him. "Please don't do this. _For me._"

Bellamy smiled sadly, and shook his head. "It is for you, Melody." When he reached out and tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear, Melody couldn't bring herself to pull away from his touch. "Always for you."

Melody felt horrible. It was obvious that there was no swaying him now that he had made his decision. And this was all _her _fault. She was the one who demanded he get Jasper back. He was just following her orders. And now, by gaining Jasper, she was going to be losing Bellamy. The thought was almost too much to bear.

With a shaky sigh, she turned her head away from him and brushed away the tears that had formed in her eyes. "I won't let them die, Bellamy." She promised, lifting her head once more to look at him. "I won't let all of this be for nothing."

Bellamy nodded his head, understanding what Melody couldn't say. He turned the radio back on and began to explain how they would trade him for Jasper. Melody turned away from him, watching the dropship door. It wasn't long before the gears began to whir, and the door was being lowered once more.

Melody watched as Bellamy began to walk towards the dropship. With each step her took away from them, her heart sank a little more. All she could do was pray that he might survive this. And, if he did, she was going to stop being such a bitch to him. She was going to learn to forgive. And maybe they had no romantic future ahead of them. Melody couldn't care less. If Bellamy survived and they could just be _together_, she would be happy.

Bellamy disappeared behind the curtain, and moments later Jasper came stumbling out. As he fell to the ground, Octavia rushed forward and helped him. Melody spared the boy a glance, to make sure that he was alright, but she stayed rooted to the spot.

It was done. It was over.

"Everyone get back to work." Melody called out, turning to face the crowd. When they all just stood there, her gaze narrowed and she shouted, "Now!"

The crowd began to disappear then, and Melody was relieved. She didn't know how to run things in Bellamy's absence, but she was going to try. So far so good.

"Miller." Melody turned to look at Bellamy's lieutenant, who was beginning to walk back to the wall. Her gaze hard and unwavering as she beckoned him over. Melody was in no mood to play games. "You get two of your best gunmen over here. I want the three of you to keep your eyes and your guns trained on the dropship, alright?"

"Sure." Miller nodded and Melody was relieved that he so willingly listened to her. "Do we have a game plan, Melody? Or are we just winging it?"

"Oh, there's a game plan." Melody nodded her head and turned back towards the dropship. She drew the bow off of her back and gripped it tightly in one hand, before sitting down cross-legged in front of the dropship door. Calmly, she pulled her knife off of her belt and drew an unfinished arrow. Slowly, she began to carve it into the shape that she so desired.

"And?" Asked Murphy, brows furrowed as he watched her closely. "What's the plan?"

"It's simple, Miller."

Melody didn't bother to look up at him. She just continued dragging her blade across the ragged arrow, over and over again until it was smooth enough. And when she finished one arrow, she put it in her quiver and started on another.

"Murphy doesn't leave this camp alive."


	31. Chapter 31

Keep in mind while reading: _real_ characters have _real _challenges, _real_ flaws, and _real_ emotions. Also, unpredictability and a lack of consistency -they are _teenagers _after all- are to be expected, whether we like it or not.

Enjoy.

**Chapter Thirty-One**

"What should we do?"

Melody had called a meeting of sorts so that they could try to get a better game plan than 'kill Murphy.' If you asked Melody, it was the _perfect _plan. If John Murphy thought that he was going to overthrow Bellamy and become the next King, he was out of his mind. And a single bullet would put him out of his misery…or a single arrow. But Miller _insisted _that they come up with something more concrete than that.

"We've got to get him out." Jasper insisted avidly, his brown gaze flickering between the dropship and the small circle of people that stood just before it. He looked extremely anxious, and Melody just _knew _that Jasper was blaming himself for Bellamy's current situation. "Murphy will kill him."

"No shit, Sherlock." Raven sent Jasper a stern glance that silenced him before she turned her attention towards the rest of the group. "If I can get to the wiring underneath the dropship floor, I should be able to open the door."

"Okay, good." Melody said, nodding her head.

"There's only one problem…" Admitted Raven with a slight frown. "I can't get the panel open by myself. It got loosened when you guys crashed, but it's still on there pretty tight. I'm going to need some muscle."

"I'll do it." Offered Miller immediately, slowly lowering his gun from where it was aimed at the dropship door. After one final glance at the dropship, he turned his attention towards Raven. "Where's the panel?"

"No, Miller. We need you out here." Said Melody, shaking her head as she looked around at the rest of the group. Miller and the other gunmen were the only real 'muscle' in the group, but she couldn't spare them. It would have to be someone else. "Jasper, you go."

"Me?" Jasper's eyebrows flew up in surprise as he pointed towards himself, drawing everyone's attention to his bulk, or lack thereof. "You want me to be the muscle? I'm scrawny."

"You're _lanky._" Corrected Melody, with a roll of her eyes. "I'm sure that between the two of you that panel will come off. Besides, you're the only one who knows enough to help Raven once she actually gets inside."

"Are you sure, Mel?" He still didn't seem convinced. "Maybe I should-"

"Jasper, I said _go. _We're wasting time."

"You'll be fine. Come on, Jasper." Raven nodded her head towards the ship and nudged him gently, before she began walking away. "We've got work to do."

Melody watched as the two of them walked off, towards the back of the dropship. Once they were out of sight, her gaze swung back towards the remainder of the group. She focused on Octavia who, up until this point, had been doing nothing but watching and worrying. Melody knew that she would drive herself crazy this way, so she decided to put her to work.

"O, you're in charge of communication, alright? You get the walkie-talkie. Keep it close just in case Murphy or Bellamy tries to contact us."

"Got it." Octavia took the small device out of Melody's hand and slid it into her jacket's front pocket. Somehow she seemed a bit more grounded now that she had an important job to do. "Thank you, Melody."

"You're welcome. Keep me posted, alright?" Melody watched her walk away as well, and then she spun back around to face the remainder of the group. "You three, keep close. If Murphy comes walking out of that dropship, you shoot first and ask questions later."

There was a bit of hesitation. The three of them looked at each other uneasily, which caused Melody to frown. What was so complicated about shooting a guy?

"_What_?" She asked, rather impatiently, when they all just continued to stand there and stare at her as if they didn't understand what they were supposed to be doing. "What's wrong?"

"I thought we don't get to decide who lives and dies." Said one of the gunmen, with a slight frown. "Clarke said-"

"Is Clarke _here_?" Melody asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Well, no…"

"Shoot first. Ask questions later." Melody repeated firmly. "Got it?"

They got it.

As everyone dispersed, Melody turned once more to face the dropship. Right now, she had no room left in her heart for loathing; only for worry. Bellamy might have wronged her, but he still held an extremely special place in her heart. If anything happened to him, Melody didn't know what she would do with herself.

Melody gnawed on her lower lip and stared at the door, long and hard, as if she could somehow will it to open. That door was the only thing separating her from the vengeance that she so desperately craved. _No one _threatened her boys and got away with it. Murphy would pay, and he would pay in blood. Melody would make sure of it.

Taking charge felt so strange, but it was a good kind of strange. Melody supposed she'd always had a say in what happened around camp; it was no secret that Bellamy and Clarke valued her opinions. But there was a difference between pulling the strings behind the curtain and actually _taking charge. _Now, people looked up to Melody. She had assumed the role of temporary leader, and suddenly her word was law. It was a good feeling, a _really_ good feeling actually, but even now Melody could feel stress taking its toll. What if, -God forbid- something were to happen to Bellamy? What if this wasn't a temporary position, but a permanent one? What if she had to lead these people to war?

_They'll die for me. _Those were the words that Bellamy had spoken so long ago, when he'd expressed his worries over the upcoming war. At the time, Melody had thought he was crazy. They weren't fighting for him, they were fighting for their freedom! They were fighting to earn their place in this word.

Or so she'd thought.

Now, Melody realized that Bellamy had been right in a sense. They _would_ die for him, at the drop of a hat. Bellamy was their leader and they respected and trusted him more than words could describe. And, like good soldiers, they would follow him to the grave. And now, they would do the same for Melody. Their loyalty was unwavering.

Melody just hoped that, in the end, she proved to be worth it.

After a while she could no longer bare waiting. Melody had to do something in order to keep her hands busy or else she was going to have a total meltdown. And so, she took a seat on the ground once more and began to work on her arrows. It was a really simple process, she was coming to learn. Easy, too. And for some reason, when she focused all of her attention on the task at hand, it actually managed to ease her worry.

Until the sound of the first gunshot.

Every hair on Melody's body stood straight up, and her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. The movement of her knife against the wooden arrow came to a halt, as did all activity within hearing distance. There was the sound of several guns being cocked, but they wouldn't be of any use against the tough metal of the dropship. It seemed as if everyone was holding their breath when Octavia picked up the radio and began speaking.

"Bellamy?" She asked worriedly, holding the radio up to her lips. "Do you copy?"

The silence that followed the question seemed to be the longest silence of Melody's life. Drawing in a ragged breath, she kept her gaze trained on the radio, willing for Bellamy to answer them, to give them some sign that he was still alive. The seconds that ticked by were almost _audible,_ as if they were listening to a clock. _Tick-tock. Tick-tock. Tick-tock._

Finally, his voice came through the radio. "_I'm fine. Just a misfire."_

Melody let out a relieved sigh. When she went to work on her arrows once more, her hands were shaking so badly that she had to take a break and close her eyes, basking in the knowledge that Bellamy was alive and well…for now.

"_Stop worrying about me and get back to work. All of you._" Ordered Bellamy firmly, scolding them as if they were worrying too much. As if he wasn't locked up in a metal box with a psycho killer.

"You heard the man." Melody backed him up loudly, giving the crowd a stern look. Hadn't she _just _sent them all to do their jobs? "Get back to work. The grounders are _still _coming."

Melody turned her attention back towards her arrow-making, but she was no longer focused on it. The gunshot had unsettled her, and she found herself waiting for another. The thought of Bellamy in there, defenseless, while Murphy had a gun…it was terrifying. Murphy wasn't just sick and twisted; he was _insane. _There was no telling what he might do to Bellamy, and there was no way of knowing what was going on behind the dropship door.

After a few long minutes of making no progress on her arrows, Melody decided to give up. She tucked the arrows back into the quiver and slung it over her shoulder. After clipping her knife back onto her belt, Melody stood up and walked over to Octavia. She was still standing in the same place, clutching the radio tightly as she watched the dropship for any signs of activity.

"It's alright, O." Melody said softly, trying to cheer her friend up. "Jasper and Raven are underneath the dropship floor right now. They're going to figure out how to get that door open, alright? And then we're in."

"They're taking too long." Whispered Octavia, her voice shaking slightly.

"They're doing the best they can." Melody insisted, doing her best to keep her voice soft and soothing. It was a difficult task, especially when all she wanted to do was say 'screw it' and allow herself the luxury of coming undone, of showing everyone just how scared she really was.

"Well, it isn't good enough."

Melody was quiet then, because while she whole-heartedly agreed with Octavia, she knew that there was nothing they could do about it. Jasper and Raven needed time to find the correct panels and re-wire the system. It was a difficult task and no amount of begging and pleading was going to get it done any faster. All they could do now was sit and wait, hoping that Raven and Jasper would open the door before it was too late.

_God help Murphy if we're too late, _thought Melody as she stared at the dropship, well aware of the silence coming from within. _And God help him if we're not._

Melody was drawn out of her thoughts by Octavia's quiet and accusing tone, which pierced through her mind and resonated somewhere deep inside of her.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me." She said suddenly, turning to pierce Melody with an offended look.

"Tell you what?" Asked Melody, brows furrowing in confusion. "Nothing exciting has happened in days, Octavia. Nothing that you don't already know about."

"Really? What about Bellamy and Raven?"

The words caused a familiar sinking feeling in the pit of her gut. Just when she thought she was over it, when she thought she might be able to move on, Melody was reminded of what had happened and all of those old feelings resurfaced. Even the current situation couldn't erase those memories and the way they made her feel. Octavia's disappointment about being left only made Melody feel even worse.

"O…" Melody trailed off, shrugging her shoulders helplessly. "I didn't want you to get involved."

"You didn't want me to get involved? Melody, you're my best friend. It's my job to get involved! We tell each other _everything._ Or at least I thought we did." Said Octavia bitterly, giving Melody a doubtful look.

"It isn't like that, Octavia." Melody shook her head, unable to find the word to explain why she had kept this from the girl she called her best friend. "I swear, it's not like that."

"Then what _is_ it like?" She demanded.

"I didn't want you to have to choose sides. Bellamy is your _brother._"

"And you're my sister." Insisted Octavia. "I would have had your back!"

"I didn't want you to have my back, O! I didn't want you to be put in the position where you had to choose. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I thought it was for your own good."

"My own good? Now you sound like Bellamy." Snapped Octavia, her brows knitting into a permanent scowl.

"Octavia, please." Melody sighed softly and closed her eyes, refusing to get angry with the other girl. "We shouldn't be fighting right now."

"Then maybe you shouldn't be keeping secrets, Melody!"

The second gunshot rang out.

Octavia jumped, and Melody reached out to draw her closer. The two of them stared at the dropship fearfully, clinging to one another as if their lives depended on it. They knew that this time, there would be no word from Bellamy. Even if he were alive, Murphy wouldn't want them to know. All they could do now was wait and wonder how this was going to end.

"I'm sorry." Melody whispered, keeping her arms wrapped tightly around Octavia. "I should have told you."

"I'm sorry, too." Octavia replied softly. "I didn't mean to get so angry, Mels. It's just the stress…If you didn't want to tell me, you didn't have to."

"It's not that, O. Believe me, I would have loved to tell you." Admitted Melody, giving the girl a weak but reassuring smile. "It would have been easier than suffering in silence."

"Well, next time don't spare my feelings. I can handle it, Melody."

Melody nodded, knowing that what Octavia said was true. The girl was much stronger than what they gave her credit for. "No more secrets, okay? I promise."

The two girls stood there, enveloped in silence. Melody had never been more grateful for Octavia than she was in that moment. They didn't speak, but they didn't need to. Just having the other girl by her side somehow made Melody feel stronger. It was as if Octavia shouldered some of the worry and the pain that Melody felt. It was nice just to know that she wasn't truly alone in all of this.

Everything was quiet around camp, as people went about their business, aside from the select few that Melody had told to stay close. It was an eerie sort of silence, though, as they all stood there, waiting to see what would happen and waiting to see what wouldn't. Not knowing what was going on inside of that dropship was absolutely maddening.

The minutes seemed to tick by, and Melody found herself becoming frustrated when nothing happened. The dropship had gone eerily quiet, and there was no word from Raven or Jasper. The suspense was driving her crazy. After all, shouldn't _something _be happening?

The thought had no more than crossed her mind when there was the sound of rapid gunfire coming from inside the walls of the dropship. Melody gasped sharply, and Octavia cried out as they both looked up at the dropship, neither one knowing exactly what was happening. The gun didn't go off once or twice, but rather ten or twenty times, all in quick succession. It sounded more like random and sporadic shots than anything. Murphy was crazy, yes, but would he really shoot a person _that many times_? Would he continue to unload his clip into a dead body? She couldn't be sure. Not when it came to John Murphy and his twisted mind.

As the sound of the gunfire died, Jasper came bounding out from behind the dropship. He hurried forward and stood next to Melody, his gaze fixed on the dropship. "We need to be ready when the door opens." He told them all, raising his gun. "She's almost got it."

They all watched the door closely, waiting for any sign of movement. The moments passed, and there was nothing. Melody was practically bouncing on her feet as she waited, silently praying that Raven actually knew what she was doing down there. And just when it seemed hopeless, just when Melody was about ready to give up, they could hear the sound of the rusty gears turning. Ever so slowly the dropship door began to open.

"Raven, you did it!" Jasper shouted.

They all began to move forward then, quickly, with their weapons raised. The curtain serving as a door for the dropship was pulled back, to reveal a horrifying sight. Goosebumps broke out along Melody's arms as she stared up at Bellamy's body, which was dangling from the ceiling by a makeshift noose, made of seatbelts from the dropship. His face was quickly losing its color, and his eyes were closed tightly. Bellamy didn't breathe and he didn't move, aside from the slight swaying as he hung there.

"Oh my god."

Jasper moved forward and grabbed Bellamy by the legs, hoisting him up as far as he possibly could so that the noose would no longer be constricting his airway. Octavia hurried to unbuckle the seatbelts that were keeping him suspended. And, as they did all of this, Bellamy continued to look as lifeless and unresponsive as ever. Melody stood there in the doorway, staring at the scene before her, and feeling as if her entire world was crumbling around her.

In all of her life, she'd never quite felt pain like this. It was a white-hot burning sensation that spread across her entire body, threatening to consume her completely. She didn't just feel this pain in her heart; she felt it to the very depths of her soul. It was a combination of terror and longing and loss and heartache and misery; a feeling unlike any other Melody had experienced. It was like all of the life had drained out of _her _in that moment, and she knew that if Bellamy died, nothing would be alright ever again.

Tears pricked the corners of her eyes as she forced herself to move forward, her heart hammering in her chest as she watched Octavia and Jasper struggling to make Bellamy breathe. "Bellamy," She whispered, falling to the ground beside him and gripping him tightly by the front of his shirt. "_Breathe._"

After several long seconds, which felt more like hours, and a lot of prompting from the three of them, Bellamy finally gasped and began to splutter, his brown eyes flying open as he clutched at his throat.

"You're alright. You're alright." Melody felt like she could weep with gratitude, and she almost did. As she reached out and cupped Bellamy's face in her hands gently, she swore she had never felt so relieved.

Bellamy's face was slowly regaining its color and his breathing began to take a turn towards normalcy. He drew in a ragged breath and nodded his head once, as if to reassure not only Melody, but himself. "I'm fine."

"I thought…" Melody didn't want to say what she'd thought. Instead, she settled for being grateful. "I'm so glad you're alright."

Bellamy didn't say anything. Instead, he reached out and pulled her closer to him, enveloping her in his embrace. Given all that had gone down in the last few days Melody knew that she shouldn't have leaned into his touch, shouldn't have wrapped her arms around him and sat there with him, oblivious to the rest of the world. What she should have done, what her brain screamed at her to do, was pull away and close herself off to him once more. But what Melody _knew _and what she _felt _were two totally different things. And right now, she didn't have any desire to pull away from him.

Their reunion was short lived, though, because they still had one big problem; Murphy. After Melody had finally pulled away from Bellamy long enough to allow him to get up, he began to make his way towards the ladder, calling for Murphy to give himself up. "Murphy!" He bellowed, pulling himself up the first few rungs. "It's over!"

There was a loud, booming noise that came from the upper level. It sounded similar to an explosion.

"What the hell?" Melody wasn't far behind Bellamy, driven forward by both her curiosity and her desire for justice.

They climbed up the ladder quickly, busting through the hatch. They were greeted with a heavy smoke, which was the aftermath of whatever Murphy had managed to blow up. It was Bellamy who pushed through the thick cloud of smoke and went after Murphy. There were a few moments of silence, and then they heard him curse loudly. Bellamy's arm suddenly appeared through the hatch as he offered his hand to Melody and pulled her up,

The smoke had begun to clear by the time Melody reached the top level. She blinked a few times and coughed once, but then she was fine. Her green eyes traveled the length of the level, and came to a stop as they fixated themselves on the massive hole in the furthest wall. Unsurprisingly, Murphy was nowhere to be seen.

"Damn it!" Melody moved forward and peered out of the hole, eyes scanning the ground until she saw Murphy scrambling to get across the far side of camp.

"The guy knows how to make an exit." Muttered Jasper, who had come up beside her. His gaze flickered towards the left, where Bellamy stood at her other side. "Should we go after him?"

"No." Bellamy's hand shot out and wrapped itself tightly around one of Melody's, which was busily loading an arrow onto her bow. The expression on his face was grave, and his brown gaze was hard as it met her own. "The grounders will take care of Murphy."

Melody's eyes flickered from Bellamy to Murphy, who was on the run.

"I could have got him!"

"There's no time." Bellamy said simply, releasing Melody from his grasp. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "We're going after the others."

|oOo|

_Bellamy's POV_

Bellamy knew that they would be surprised, given how adamantly he had refused to let anyone send out a search party. As Melody and Jasper stared up at him curiously, Bellamy couldn't bring himself to explain the sudden change of heart. He didn't totally understand it himself. All he knew was that in his time of need, no one had turned their backs on him. They hadn't left him to his fate. Instead, they'd done everything in their power to save him. And Bellamy would be damned if he couldn't do the same for the rest of their friends.

"We don't abandon our own." He said, knowing that out of everyone in camp, _they_ would understand this the most. Although Bellamy didn't realize it, they'd been teaching him that very lesson since day one.

"Great." Said Melody, who was immediately on board with the situation. As always, she was the first one to volunteer for something like this. "When do we leave?"

"_You_ don't." Bellamy was firm in his decision to leave Melody behind. If something went wrong, she needed to be safely hidden behind the camp's walls. "Only two guns; you and me." He said, nodding to Jasper. "Everyone else stays put.

Jasper seemed to agree with these orders, but Melody did not. What a surprise.

"_What_? Bellamy, you can't leave me here." She argued. "You need me."

"What I need is for you to stay here and hold down the fort." He insisted, knowing that if anyone could handle things in camp, it was Melody. She was a natural born leader, after all. When it came to doing what was right, not what was easy, Melody was the girl for the job. Not to mention the fact that she had long ago earned the respect of everyone in camp, and had become somewhat of a protective big -or, in her case, little- sister to them all. The people got what they wanted. And if they couldn't have Bellamy, they wanted her.

"Are you kidding me?" She raised her eyebrows, waiting to see if this was his idea of a bad joke. When Bellamy shook his head, Melody let out an outraged sort of sound -it was quite comical, actually- and glared over at him. "You _know_ that I'm the best shooter you've got. No offense, Jasper, but it's true." She added, glancing over at her friend apologetically before training her anger-filled gaze on Bellamy once more. "Why?"

"You know why."

"Damn it, Bellamy!" His words only seemed to make her angrier for some reason, and soon enough Melody was shouting. "It's not your job to protect me, alright? I can handle myself."

"I have no doubt about that, Melody." He assured her, feeling more patient than he'd ever been in his life. "Your safety is only one of my concerns."

It wasn't just Bellamy's outlook on life that had changed today; a lot of things had changed. And one of those things was his relationship with Melody, or at least his viewpoint on the matter. It was clear now that no matter what happened between them, they were always going to have a bond that could not be severed. Bellamy might have screwed up big time, but it hadn't changed the way Melody felt about him. And knowing that she didn't hate him made Bellamy feel _good. _Good enough to piss her off without worrying that he was overstepping boundaries.

"Oh yeah? And what are your other 'concerns'?" Asked Melody, who obviously didn't believe that Bellamy had any other reasons to keep her behind aside from his ridiculous notion that she was someone who needed to be protected.

"Well, for one, the fact that someone needs to lead the camp while I'm gone." He reminded her, wondering how she could have forgotten so quickly. "And you seemed to have done a good job while I was…occupied."

"I'm sure someone else can run camp." Scoffed Melody, giving him a look that clearly said 'you'll have to do better than that.'

And so, he did.

"Well, it's either you or Raven." Said Bellamy, who knew better than anyone the effect that these words would have on Melody.

For a moment she was quiet, and then her gaze narrowed dangerously. Jaw clenched, she stared long and hard at Bellamy, torn between her desire to help and her desire to prove to him that anything Raven could do, she could do ten times better. And, in light of recent events, Bellamy was quite curious and more than willing to find out if she really could do _everything _better than Raven. But, he wisely refrained from saying so and resolved to 'get his head out of the gutter,' so to speak.

"I'll stay." Melody decided, nodding her head reluctantly.

Of course she would. If Melody was anything, she was stubborn. Stubborn and determined; a deadly combination. And she might be a pain-in-the-ass, but she was _his_ pain-in-the-ass. If Melody Pond was anything, she was loyal; almost to a fault. And in the end, Melody would do just about anything that he asked of her, no matter how much she complained about it beforehand. Because of this, Bellamy found himself thinking that while he loved a _lot_ of things about her, it was her 'flaws' that he loved the most.

"Great. Now that we've got that settled, why don't you run along," Bellamy nudged her gently towards the hatch. "And let the men talk."

Melody swatted his hand away, and shot him a glare. "Screw you, Bellamy." She snapped out, unamused by his antics. "You're such an asshole," She grumbled as she moved away from him and began making her way down the ladder, more out of her desire to get away from him than her desire to actually listen to him.

"I love you, too." Bellamy called after her dryly, before turning his attention back towards Jasper, who had been waiting patiently with a slightly amused expression on his face as he watched the two of them argue back and forth. "Now…where were we?"

"You were saying something about us going out to look for them." Jasper reminded him helpfully, since Bellamy had gotten off track when he was talking to Melody. "Are you sure that we don't need her?" Asked Jasper, his gaze following Melody down the hatch. "There's no one else I'd rather have by my side. She's a good shot and, even more, she doesn't stop until she gets what she wants."

"We probably do need her." Admitted Bellamy as he, too, turned his attention towards the ladder, only to find that Melody was now out of sight. Although he hated to see her go, especially now that things between them were, at best, civil, Bellamy knew that it was for the best.

"Then why did you tell her to stay behind?" Jasper gave him a confused frown, obviously unable to put two and two together. "Shouldn't she be with us, increasing our odds?"

"No." Bellamy's response came out sharper than he'd intended. "I'm not willing to risk her life for anyone's. Not yours, not mine, not _anyone's_. So let's drop it, alright?"

Jasper raised his hands up in surrender, looking sorry that he'd asked. "Alright."

"Great. Now, we should get moving." Advised Bellamy, as he began moving towards the hatch once more. "We've already lost a day. And all of our gunpowder." He started to go for the ladder, but stopped when Jasper called out, _"Bellamy, wait,"_

Turning back around, Bellamy gave Jasper a puzzled look.

"Look, I just…" Jasper trailed off, suddenly looking sheepish. He fell silent then, looking as if he didn't know how to continue. And just when Bellamy was about to snap at him to spit it out, Jasper moved forward and did something totally unexpected. He pulled Bellamy in for a hug saying, "Thank you."

Bellamy stared down at Jasper in surprise, unsure of what he should do. After a moment he wrapped one arm around the boy's shoulders, giving him a half-assed and slightly awkward hug. This was the last thing he would ever expect from Jasper. The kid was Melody's best friend, after all, and his loyalty remained with her…or did it? Hadn't Jasper been loyal to him? Hadn't he fought for Bellamy? _With _Bellamy? Hadn't he been the one that Bellamy turned to when the going got tough, and he needed a good soldier? The answer to all of the above was yes. Jasper was, and always had been, _on his side. _Or at least when it mattered. Why, Bellamy wondered, had he never realized this before?

_Because you were jealous,_ a little voice in the back of his head reminded him.

But jealous of _what_? For so long Bellamy had been looking at Jasper as if he were the enemy, someone who stole all of Melody's time and attention and affections. It was only now that he realized just how wrong he was. Were he and Jasper really so different? They both loved Melody. They both wanted her happy, and they wanted her healthy, and they wanted what was best for her no matter the cost. He and Jasper were not enemies, but two sides of the same coin.

When Jasper pulled away, he shot Bellamy a wicked grin. "Long way from 'whatever the hell you want'," He said, quoting something Bellamy had said in the very beginning, when it had basically been a free-for-all.

Bellamy found himself grinning, too, as he remembered just how defiant and _naïve _he had been, to think that they didn't need rules. "Yeah." He agreed quietly, nodding as he thought about Jasper's words.

Their little moment of comradeship didn't last long, because the next thing Bellamy knew, he heard Miller's voice coming over the walkie-talkie. "_All gunners! We got movement outside the south wall_!"

Bellamy and Jasper exchanged a look, and then they were both going for the ladder. Bellamy made it there first, and he descended quickly as possible, his mind going to the worst possible scenario. And as always, there was one panic-stricken thought -or, rather, one name- that came to mind in times like this. _Melody. _

He barreled out of the dropship, intent on getting to her before the grounders did. When Bellamy made his way into camp, however, he quickly realized that no one else was panicking. Instead, they were all standing expectantly around the main gate, watching it curiously.

_What the hell is going on?_ He wondered momentarily. With wide eyes Bellamy watched as a few of the guys ran forward to open the gate. He moved forward, intent on stopping them, but it was too late. They had the gate open, and he could hear the sound of approaching footsteps. And, just when he was sure that they were all done for, they received a saving grace.

Clarke came bounding into camp, blonde hair flying behind her. She wore an anxious and worried expression as she hurried to Bellamy's side. "We heard an explosion." She told him, before looking around quickly. "What happened?"

With a bitter tone, Bellamy said, "Murphy happened."

Before he could say anything else, he was practically pushed aside by two eager campers. Suddenly, Clarke was being showered with hugs from both Jasper and Melody who demanded to know what had happened and where she'd been. As they spoke, Bellamy tuned them out, and instead focused on the gate. His gaze fell upon Finn, who had come into camp, looking even more anxious than Clarke.

"Clarke, we need to leave, _now._ All of us do." Declared Finn boldly, captivating the crowd that had formed to welcome them home. "There's an army of grounders, unlike anything we've ever seen, coming for us right now." He continued, looking around the circle, his words loud and urgent. "We need to pack what we can and run."

Bellamy was not only surprised by the Spacewalker's outburst, but angered as well. He couldn't just march into camp after a day and a half of being gone and demand that they all leave. Finn hadn't been there, he hadn't put his blood and sweat and tears into the preparations for the oncoming war. Come to think of it, he'd never put any effort into _anything _other than chasing after Clarke. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

"Like hell we do." Snapped Bellamy, sweeping one arm out in annoyance, palm up, as he gave Finn a look that asked, '_are you serious_?' "We _knew _this was coming."

"Bell, we're not prepared." Interjected Octavia.

"And they're not here yet!" He pointed out angrily, noting how his sister always seemed to side with everyone _but _him. "We still have time to prepare. And besides, where would we go? Where could be safer than behind these walls?"

"There's an ocean to the east." Said Finn, and Clarke nodded her head in agreement. "There are people there who will help us."

"You saw Lincoln!" Exclaimed Octavia, to which Finn nodded and said quietly, "_Yeah._"

Bellamy couldn't believe his ears. "You expect us to trust a grounder?" He demanded, ignoring the offended look that Octavia gave him. Her weird love for that grounder was the _last_ thing on his mind right now. "This is our home now," He said, repeating Melody's words. "We built this from nothing with our bare hands! Our dead are buried behind that wall in this ground! _Our _ground!"

The crowd was getting anxious, and Bellamy knew that he was getting them riled up in all the right ways. This was what he did; he rallied his troops. No one, not even Clarke and Finn, could take that away from him. And as the crowd grew more eager, Bellamy grew more confident.

"The grounders think they can take that away." He continued loudly. "They think that because we came from the sky, we don't belong here. But they're yet to realize one very important fact: _we_ are on the ground now, and that means we are grounders!"

The crowd erupted into a frenzy, all of the voices overlapping. Everyone seemed to be on his side. There was a general murmur of agreement, and a few kids even shouted out encouragements. "_Yeah!" "You tell 'em!" "We're staying!"_ "_Grounders with guns!_"

That last one caught Bellamy's attention, and he turned to look at the kid who'd shouted it, both pleased and proud that he'd manage to convince so many of them. "Damn right!" He agreed, nodding his head before turning back to the rest of the crowd. "I say let 'em come!"

As his speech came to a close, Bellamy turned to look at Clarke, wondering if the words he said had made any difference at all. His question was soon answered, because after giving him a challenging look, she turned to face the crowd with a speech of her own.

"Bellamy's right. If we leave, we may never find a place as safe as this." She declared, causing a few people -Bellamy among them- to nod in agreement. "And God knows, in this world, we could be faced with something even worse tomorrow." The speech was going good, really good, but it soon took a turn for the worst; at least in Bellamy's eyes. "But that doesn't change the simple fact that if we stay here, we will die tonight. So pack your things. Just take what you can carry." When no one moved, Clarke added, "_Now_."

People began to disperse, and Bellamy watched them in disappointment. They might be loyal to him, but they were just as loyal to Clarke. When it came to the two leaders facing off, the people were going to side with whoever gave them the easiest option. That's what Clarke was offering; an easy out. And Bellamy couldn't compete with that no matter how hard he tried.

Bellamy went to confront Clarke, but he'd hardly taken two steps when his path was cut off by a small, determined redhead. Melody looked up at him evenly, crossing both arms as she stood in front of him, her expression unreadable.

"You want to leave?" Bellamy asked her irritably, figuring that, like the rest of them, she would find Clarke's offer more appealing.

"There was a time when you were begging me to leave camp." She reminded him, causing Bellamy to think back to the time he'd been subjected to quarantine and had pleaded with Melody to get out of camp, because he could no longer protect her. It seemed like a lifetime had passed since then, but in reality it had only been a handful of days.

"Yeah, well, time changes things."

"Not _everything._" She pointed out softly, shaking her head. "Together, always. Remember?"

Bellamy stared at her, surprised that she was sticking to her word, after everything that had happened between the two of them. "Melody…I don't expect you to keep your promise."

"Why?" She seemed confused for a moment, but then her expression darkened. "Is this because of what happened with Raven?"

"Well…yeah." Bellamy nodded, hesitant.

"Fuck Raven." Melody declared, loudly enough that Bellamy looked around to see if she'd drawn any attention to herself, which luckily she hadn't. "This is about you and me. _Together. Always. _I meant it then, and I mean it now. The only way I'm leaving this camp is if you're by my side."

Bellamy's brow furrowed and he looked at her, feeling confused. "Does this mean that we're…?" He trailed off, uncertain not only of himself, but of what Melody was getting at.

"No, Bellamy." She shook her head, and his spirits dropped a little. "We don't have to be _together _to be together. We just have to be friends. You know what I mean?"

He really didn't, but to save himself a headache, Bellamy just nodded. "Of course. Friends. We're together…but we're not _together._" It came out sounding more like a question than a statement.

"Always." She nodded.

"Always." Bellamy nodded in return, not quite sure if he was following her correctly, and not quite sure how he should feel about all of this. Had Melody really just swallowed her pride and mended their damaged relationship? Had she, for once in her life, backed down from him and chosen to take the high road?

The answer was yes, yes she had.

Their friendship seemed to be patched up for the time being, but it was really holding on by a thread. He supposed he should be grateful that Melody still considered him a friend at all, after what he'd done to her. But, while he knew he had no right to want anything more than what she offered, Bellamy found himself feeling like friendship just wasn't enough anymore.

"Melody…" Bellamy wasn't sure _what_ he was going to say, but he felt that he had to say _something._ Melody had never before been the type of girl to forget and forgive, yet here she was, letting bygones be bygones. She had changed so much from the weak, scared little girl that had come down on the dropship. A girl who, even with help, had never truly known how to slay her own demons. A girl who'd never known how to forgive, and who had always chosen to bury her problems rather than face them. Bellamy knew how much it took for her to be able to do this, he knew how far she had come in just a few short months, and in that moment he was immensely proud of her.

It turned out that Bellamy didn't have to say anything, however.

"It's over, Bellamy." She assured him seriously, speaking slowly so as to make sure that he understood each and every word. "All is forgiven."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a helluva woman, Melody Pond?" He asked her, unable to stop the easy smile that found its way onto his face.

"Yeah." Melody nodded. "Once or twice."

Like all of the good moments in his life, this one was also short-lived. Just when things were going good and Bellamy thought that _maybe_ the universe was giving him a break, something had to come along and ruin it. And this time, as once before, _something _came in the form of Raven Reyes.

Everything seemed to be happening at once, as people rushed to Raven's side. Bellamy's attention turned towards her momentarily, and he could see blood seeping out of a wound that she pressed her hand against. For a moment he was confused, but then it all became very clear to him. Raven had been under the dropship floor, searching for a way to re-wire the door when Murphy had closed it. Bellamy recalled hearing a noise under the floorboards, and then Murphy had gone crazy and fired an entire clip into the ground. One of the bullets must have shot her.

"Murphy shot her." Jasper picked the girl up and began moving towards the dropship with Clarke close behind, a determined look on her face. She was going into full doctor mode.

_It's now or never._

As Clarke began to go for the ship, Bellamy crossed the distance between the two of them very quickly and grabbed her arm, forcing the blonde doctor to face him. The two of them scowled at one another for a few moments before, finally, Bellamy spoke.

"Clarke, leaving here is a bad decision." Warned Bellamy, hoping that he could talk some sense into her.

Stubborn as ever, Clarke replied with, "The decision's been made."

"Crowds make _bad_ decisions." To prove his point, he said, "Just ask Murphy."

"What do you want me to do, Bellamy?"

"Leaders do what they think is _right_."

There was a pause and then Clarke said, "I am." With that, she turned around and headed towards the dropship, presumably to patch Raven up.

Bellamy sighed heavily and turned to face the camp. One man didn't make an army. He could stay, but he would have to fight alone…No, not alone. There would be _one _person by his side. The one person who had always been by his side, through thick and thin. If it came down to it, she would fight with him and they would both lose. _Together, always. _This didn't have to be the end. They could stay and they could fight and they could die heroes…Only they couldn't. Bellamy could never ask that of Melody. He couldn't be that selfish.

And so, it seemed that their decision had been made for them.


	32. Chapter 32

_This chapter is the calm before the storm. _

**Chapter Thirty-Two**

With a soft sigh, Melody sat down on the edge of her bed and looked around the small, sparsely decorated tent that she and Octavia shared. It wasn't anything special. Just a bit of yellow mesh held together at the seams, hardly big enough to house _one _person, let alone two. Yet somehow, it had. And for the last three months she'd spent her nights cramped up inside of this little tent, her make-shift bed shoved into one corner while Octavia's resided in the other. A small table separated their living quarters, barely big enough to hold the few articles of clothing, half-whittled bows, and array of trinkets that sat upon it.

No, it wasn't anything special, but to them it was home.

"I'm gonna miss it." Melody smiled sadly and ran her hand slowly across the fabric of the blanket on her bed. "All of it."

Octavia, who was on the other side of the room and attempting to shove all of their belongings into one bag, paused and turned to look at Melody in surprise. For a few moments the girl was thoughtful as she looked around their little tent. When her gaze finally came to rest on Melody, she was smiling. "And to think, we didn't even want to share in the first place."

Melody laughed, recalling the day that Octavia had grudgingly offered to share her tent. It was during those first few days on earth, in the brief period of time when the two girls hadn't been friends. In fact, they had pretty much despised one another for reasons now all but forgotten. Octavia had only offered to share because Melody couldn't sleep in the dropship forever. And now, the two girls couldn't imagine _not _sharing,_ not_ sleeping side-by side, _not _being just feet away from one another if something were to happen. It was strange to think of how far they had come in such a short amount of time.

"Some days I stilldon't want to share, what with the way you're always _snoring_." Melody grinned over at Octavia tauntingly.

"Hey!" Octavia threw the first thing in her hands -which happened to be a pillow- at Melody, huffing loudly. "I don't snore!"

Melody just laughed and caught the pillow in her arms, holding it against her chest as she looked over at Octavia. The brunette was pretending to be offended, with both hands splayed on her hips as she gave Melody her best pouty face.

"Keep it up, Melody Pond. And we won't ever share a tent again." Octavia threatened seriously, her hazel eyes narrowing. "I swear."

"Wow, O." Melody rolled her eyes and laid back on the bed, shoving the pillow underneath her head. "You know how to hit me right where it hurts."

At this, Octavia huffed once more. "How about you make yourself useful, huh?"

"And how do you suppose I do that?"

"Well you _could _help me pack." At the look Melody was giving her, Octavia rolled her eyes and decided that it was a lost cause. "_Or _you could at least entertain me."

"I'm not very entertaining."

"Come on, Melody. You know I'm dying to hear the latest gossip in the Melody, Bellamy, Raven love triangle!"

Melody scowled up at the ceiling, not liking the sudden change in conversation. "There is no love triangle, Octavia. There never was."

"Says who?"

"Says me."

"I think you're lying."

She sat up suddenly and sent Octavia a dark look, wishing that the girl would just drop the subject entirely. "In order for there to be a love triangle, there has to be three active participants. And there isn't. I'm done."

"Done?" Octavia frowned and paused in her packing once more. Slowly, she crept forward to sit on the edge of her own bed, looking at Melody seriously. "What does that mean?"

"It means I'm done, I'm over it." She shrugged shortly. "I've forgiven them both. And I don't want to talk about it ever again, okay?"

"No, not okay. What the hell happened? You just _forgave _them? Melody, I was counting on you kicking someone's ass. They deserve it!"

"Well, I'm trying this new thing. It's called _being the bigger person._"

"Melodyyyy." Octavia groaned and threw herself back onto the bed, eyes slipping shut. "You're going down without a fight!"

"Why does everyone think I should _fight _for him?" Melody wondered aloud, feeling herself quickly becoming exasperated. Jasper had said the same exact thing to her. "Why?"

"You always fight for what you want."

"I shouldn't have to fight. There should be no competition!" Why did no one else see it from Melody's perspective? Why didn't they get that fighting shouldn't be necessary?

"Oh, Melody. You really know nothing about love, do you?" Octavia sat back up and leaned forward, resting with her elbows against her thighs.

"Oh, and you know so much, _Juliet._" Melody snapped out, resisting the urge she had to say more.

"I do." Octavia suddenly became much more serious. "I know that I've spent the last few months _fighting _to be with Lincoln. And they've been the best months of my life."

"That's different, O." Melody didn't know how, but it just was.

"It's _not _different, Melody. People tried to pull us apart and we _fought._ We didn't let anything or anyone come in between us. We didn't give up."

"Yeah, but Lincoln didn't hurt you! He would never hurt you. He _loves _you."

Octavia blinked at Melody a few times and gave her a look that clearly said she had lost her mind. "Lovehurts. No matter what, love hurts. Even when it doesn't mean to."

"What are you saying, Octavia? That I should just go crawling back to Bellamy?" She asked, already fearing the girl's answer. "Because that's not going to happen."

"I think you're letting your damn pride get in the way of something good. And I think you're wasting a lot of time, Melody. Time that we don't have. I think you're going to regret it in the long run." With that, Octavia stood up and walked back over to the table and began to pack up their belongings once more. "Mark my words."

Melody sighed and laid back on the bed once more -for the last time- thinking about what Octavia had said. It made a lot of sense to her _brain, _but her heart was refusing to listen. It had taken a lot for Melody to even forgive Bellamy. She had given him friendship and yet it seemed that everyone, even her friends, expected her to do more. She just wasn't ready to open herself up to Bellamy again. She wasn't willing to risk getting hurt all over again. And if that made her weak, if it meant she was giving him up without a fight, then so be it.

oOoOoOo

They left as soon as everyone had packed and while the sun was still high in the sky, giving them a lot of traveling time. Everyone was ordered to only bring what they could carry, because they didn't have time to bring _everything _with them. They were already slowed down enough, because Raven had to be carried on a hand-made stretcher. The wound from Murphy's gunshot was serious and the bullet was still inside of her which meant that walking was not an option, no matter how much Raven wanted it to be.

Octavia took the lead, because she knew the forests better than anyone. Behind her was Jasper and Melody on one side, Miller and some gunner on the other side. They walked at a steady rate, weapons raised and eyes peeled for any sign of activity in the trees. Very few people spoke aside from the occasional hushed whisper, but Miller seemed content to carry on for as long as anyone would listen to him.

"You know the first thing I'm gonna do when we get to the beach?" He asked, grinning over at Melody and Jasper as they continued walking.

"No." Muttered Jasper curtly, frowning slightly as he looked around, as paranoid as ever.

"What?" Melody asked, partially to humor Miller and partially because she was curious.

Miller paused for a moment as he jumped over a fallen tree, and then he said, "I want to go surfing."

His words, coupled with the wicked grin he sent her way, caused Melody to laugh softly. It was such an outrageous thought. _Surfing. _"Really? With what surfboard?"

"_Quiet._" Jasper sent them a scolding look. "Keep your eyes open."

Melody rolled her eyes, once again struck by the thought that Jasper worried too much. She couldn't blame him, of course. After what had happened to him he had every right to be weary and paranoid. She just wished that he could get past it so that he didn't have to live in constant fear anymore.

"No more woods. No more trees. Just the pale, blue water." Mused Martin, who was walking next to Melody.

She had to agree that it did sound appealing. While Melody had come to love the forests that they called home, she wouldn't mind a change in scenery. There was still so much to see, so much to do. There was life beyond these forests and Melody wanted to experience everything that life had to offer.

They had only walked a few more feet when Octavia paused them, holding up her hand as a signal to stop. They did so, the gunners raising their guns and Melody raising her bow. She studied the treeline closely, but she couldn't see anything.

"What is it?" Whispered Jasper, looking around anxiously.

"Why are we stopping, O?" Melody gave Octavia a confused look and then looked around slowly. "I don't see anything."

Still, Octavia remained silent. Her hazel eyes were studying one spot very closely and she was frowning, waiting for something to happen.

"O, I don't think-"

Melody was cut off mid-sentence by the whirring sound of something whipping through the air. They didn't even have time to react before the metal throwing star struck Martin square in the face, sinking deep into his flesh and killing him instantly. Blood spurted from the wound, its sticky warmth spraying across the side of Melody's face and the front of her shirt. A loud gasp rang out, and when Melody opened her mouth a few of the metallic-tasting droplets fell in. She thought she might get sick right there.

_Oh my god. Oh my god. _That was the only thought that came to mind, and it rang throughout her head over and over and over again.

"Grounders!" Jasper's voice rang out higher than anybody else's.

Suddenly, the crowd dissolved into panic. Screams rang out in the air, people were shoving each other every which way in an attempt to put more distance between themselves and the enemy, which was still hidden. Everyone turned around and began running back in the direction that they had come from. They were all shouting, their words all blurring together and becoming unrecognizable by the time they reached Melody's ears. It didn't matter. She wasn't listening to them anyways.

For a few moments she just stood there, but then a couple of guys picked up Martin's body, so Melody turned around and began running in the opposite direction, with the rest of the group. She was small, but she was quick and within a few moments her long legs had brought her upon the rear of the group. It took them only a few minutes to reach the camp once more, and by the time they got there everybody was scrambling frantically. They all wanted to be the first ones behind the wall, and Melody found herself getting pushed and prodded from every angle.

It was absolute chaos even after everyone was safely inside and the gate had been closed behind them. They all wanted answers. They all wanted to know what the next move was. Everybody stood around and talked amongst themselves, looking to their leaders for some sort of direction. Everybody except for Melody, who stood once again staring down at a lifeless boy's body. She just couldn't seem to look away.

"Okay then. This is what we've been preparing for!" Bellowed Bellamy, as they had apparently come to some sort of a decision. "Kill them before they kill us. Gunners, to your posts! Use the tunnels to get in and out. From now on the gates stay closed!"

As everyone else began to prepare, Melody still stood rooted to the spot. She stared down at Martin with a mixture of horror and disgust. All Melody could think about was how _mean _she'd been to him. The only time the two of them had really interacted was during Lincoln's torture, when Martin and Miller had helped Bellamy to keep everything under control. He'd been so mouthy and stubborn that Melody hadn't even thought twice before snapping and lashing out at him. And now he was dead and she couldn't apologize, she couldn't take back the angry things she'd said and she couldn't make things between them right again.

But she could do one thing.

Melody bent down and grabbed the weapon, yanking it out of Martin's face with a quiet grunt. The wound was even worse up close, a huge split right down the middle of his face. She dropped the throwing star beside the boy's still body and wiped the blood from her fingers on the already ruined shirt. Bending down once more, she closed his eyes and whispered the words, "May we meet again."

Once Melody had 'put him to sleep,' Melody immediately made her way towards the water basin. The other's blood was still hot and sticky on her face and she was itching to get it off before it had the chance to fully dry there. Melody dipped her hands into the water and brought them to her face, splashing the cold water against her skin. She rubbed frantically, smearing both blood and water across her face before she wiped it all off with one of her sleeves.

When Melody looked up once more, she was surprised to see Bellamy standing there, looking down at her. Their gazes met and Melody tried desperately to figure out what he was thinking, but all of a sudden Bellamy had become extremely hard to read. Or maybe she just didn't care enough to figure it out.

After a few moments, he spoke. "You missed a spot."

He reached out and ran his fingers against her left temple, wiping away the last traces of Martin's blood. Melody felt her eyes slip shut for the briefest moment, and she felt herself slipping back into old patterns so fast that it scared her. Her eyes shot open once more and she was pulling away from him, muttering a soft, "Thanks."

_You can't do that, Melody, _said a nagging voice in the back of her head. _You can't let him get inside of your head. If you do, you're a goner._

Melody knew that her conscious was right. Even now, as she looked up at Bellamy and tried desperately to detest him, her heart did nothing but swell with affection for the man. Her head was screaming '_He hurt you' _and her heart was singing, '_But I'm alright.' _ She knew that she should feel some sort of animosity for him, but it seemed that her heart and her brain just weren't connecting as of late, and that made for a very confused Melody. Octavia's words rang in her ears. _Love hurts. Even when it doesn't mean to. _

"Hey." Clarke came out of nowhere and thankfully destroyed Melody's thought process before she did something extremely stupid. "So, how the hell do we do this?"

Bellamy thought for a moment and then he said, "We need a plan." As if that wasn't already obvious. He looked between the two girls and then took off, walking towards the dropship. Over his shoulder he called, "Follow me."

oOoOoOo

An hour later and Melody found herself underneath the floor of the dropship, looking for some sort of ignition system. She wasn't really sure _what _she was looking for, but Raven had described its appearance to the best of her abilities. Something about colored panels…_orange _panels. Melody still wasn't sure whether or not she knew what she was looking for. It was times like this that she longed for Monty to be here, because if he was he would just laugh and try to explain to Melody not only where the ignition system was, but he would explain exactly how it worked and why it was important. But Monty was gone now and Melody was on her own, so she made the best of it.

After they had all sat down to come up with some sort of game plan they'd realized just how hopeless the situation was. They only had twenty-five guns at most, and they didn't have nearly enough ammunition thanks to Murphy using the majority of their gun powder. There were bombs, but again _not enough _because of Murphy's little explosion. The gully was mined, partially, and that would let them know when the grounders were getting close. The main objective was to keep them away from the gate, because if the grounders came knocking on their front door they would have no choice but to answer.

It was Clarke's idea to build the ring of fire. They had a lot of jet fuel left over from the source that had powered the dropship and it was deadly stuff. There wasn't any gunpowder, but Raven said she knew how to rig it so that with just a push of a button, a ring of fire would spread out across the camp and fry any grounders within a few yards of the ship. Bellamy said he liked the idea of barbequed grounders.

"This is hopeless." Said Melody, who was still walking below the ship with a flashlight in her hand as she studied the various wires and panels and basically everything else that powered the dropship.

Clarke was standing just a few feet away and she was also having no luck. "Finn, can you see it over there?" She called to him hopefully, still looking around.

There was a muffled "No," from Finn and the two girls sighed heavily. They'd been down here for the better part of the last half hour, but they had yet to find anything of importance. Melody had never realized just how big and complex the dropship really was before now.

"Raven, we can't find the ignition system!" Clarke called up to Raven, who was waiting to give them more directions. There were a few moments of extended silence which had Melody and Clarke exchanging concerned glances. "Raven?" Clarke tried again.

A few moments later they heard Raven's voice. "I can't feel my legs."

"Okay, hold on. We're coming." Melody and Clarke exchanged yet another glance, and Melody could feel her stomach flutter in an uncomfortable way. The worry that she saw in Clarke's eyes set her heartbeat racing. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her gut that she should have been used to by now. Without speaking the two girls began moving quickly towards the ladder that led them up to the first floor.

Melody climbed out first, immediately moving out of the way so that Clarke could take a look at the girl sitting on the floor. Once look at Raven and Melody could see how much pain she was in. Sweat covered her face, which was contorted in an extremely unpleasant way. When Clarke urged her to lean forward, Melody could see the purplish spots that had formed along her lower back. Blood had begun pooling just beneath the surface. Even Melody knew what that meant; she was bleeding from the inside.

No one said anything, but for Raven that was enough to confirm her fears. "That bad, huh?" She asked, trying to make light of the situation.

Clarke eased her back into a sitting position and made sure that she was as comfortable as she could get before delivering the bad news. "Raven…the bullet's in your spin. You're bleeding internally."

There was a few moments of silence and then Raven said, "We'd better do this fast then. Get back down there."

That was not an option.

"What if we can stop the bleeding?" Wondered Finn, who had joined them. "Would that help?"

"Of course it would help." Clarke sounded faintly annoyed, maybe frustrated, when she spoke to him. "Can you tell me how to do that?"

"That stuff the grounders had; coagulant. You said that Lincoln had some, too." Finn reminded her gently.

"Yeah, it's in the box with the antidote, but I-"

"I'm betting that there's more of it in his cave." Said Finn. "If I can get there-"

"Whoa, wait a second." Cut in Raven, who was already shaking her head. "No."

"I can make it." Finn sounded determined and firm.

"Clarke, tell him he's being an idiot." Pleaded Raven, but Clarke remained silent. "Melody?" She turned her big brown eyes on Melody, but she didn't say anything either. They all knew that it was Finn's best bet. It was risky, but it was their only chance at keeping Raven alive.

"Raven." Finn's voice was pleading, too.

"What? I'm not gonna let you die to save me." Said Raven, shaking her head.

"Fine. If you won't let me save you, how about we save everybody else? You're the only one who can fire those rockets." He pointed out, as full of good ideas as ever. "If you die, we all die."

They were all looking at Raven now, judging her reaction. It was as if they were waiting for her permission. For a long while she was silently, and then she let out a defeated little breath, and Finn took that as his cue.

"I'll be right back." He was quickly scrambling to his feet. He looked down at them all for just a moment and then he was crossing the dropship. Clarke waited for a few seconds and then she was following after her, which everybody seemed to expect.

That left just Melody and Raven sitting there, side-by-side. It was the longest that the two of them had been together, in the same room, since the night Raven had slept with Bellamy. There was an awkwardness in the air between them, but it was no longer spiteful and angry. For the first time in what seemed like a long time, Melody had no desire to lash out at Raven. Instead, she found herself wanting to soothe the other girl's pain.

"Raven…" Melody trailed off, shaking her head. She was at a loss for words. What was she supposed to say in this situation? Nothing sounded quite right and so she finally settled on the simplest option. "I'm sorry."

"Why?" Raven turned to frown at Melody. She looked like she didn't know whether or not to believe the sincerity behind Melody's words.

"Why? Because you don't deserve this." Insisted Melody, who now wore a frown of her own. Nobody deserved a fate as cruel as this one. Nobody deserved to slowly die from the inside out. Especially not Raven.

"I don't know, Melody. I sleep with your boyfriend one day and I get shot the next." Raven said, giving a lazy shrug. "Sounds like karma to me."

Melody recognized the words that she had so carelessly thrown at Raven the night of the incident that had drawn a wedge between the two of them. The night Finn and Clarke had gone missing, and Raven had been wondering if maybe it was all her fault. Melody also remembered the other hurtful things that she'd said to Raven that night. Raven had been trying desperately to apologize, but Melody wouldn't hear any of it. To Raven's _'I'm sorry,_' she had replied with, "No you're not. But you will be."

And now those words were coming back to bite her in the ass.

"Karma's a bitch, but I think that if anybody can kick her ass, it's you." Melody said quietly, causing Raven to smile in a painful way that made it look like more of a grimace. But hey, it was a step in the right direction.

"Thanks."

There were a few more moments of silence, but somehow the silence didn't seem as awkward anymore. This was the first time that the two of them had ever addressed the situation and instead of making things harder, mentioning it seemed to have cleared up a bit of the tension in the room.

"Melody." Raven turned her head to pierce Melody a serious look, a look that let Melody know that they were not done discussing what had happened. "I really am sorry."

"Yeah…I know." Melody nodded, finding it easier to accept Raven's apology now. Maybe it was because of the fact that she was currently hurt and getting worse with every passing moment, or maybe it was because all along Melody had known just how regretful Raven truly was.

"I understand if you hate me."

"I don't hate you, Raven." Melody assured her, slowly shaking her head. "I hate what you did. I hate that of all the people in camp, you chose Bellamy. And even more than that, I hate that he chose you, too."

"He didn't choose me, Melody. Not really." Raven said, laughing almost bitterly. "He chose me for a fleeting moment. But you…he chose you for the long haul."

"So they tell me." Melody said, frowning. "Are you going to tell me to fight for him, too?"

"Hell no." Raven's firm admission surprised Melody, who was so used to people saying the opposite.

"Really?"

"If you have to fight for him, he's already gone. I learned that the hard way."

Melody had forgotten about the other infamous love triangle, the one between Clarke and Finn and Raven. Their situations weren't really all that different. In a lot of ways, Melody and Raven had been put through the same awful experience. They both had men who cheated on them. The only difference was, there was still hope for Bellamy and Melody, whereas Raven had no one now.

"Thanks, Raven." Melody finally said, offering the girl a small smile. "That's really good advice."

"Now you're taking advice from a homewrecker?" Raven teased, doing her best to smile despite the pain.

"No, I'm taking advice from a friend."

Perhaps Melody shouldn't have forgiven Raven so easily. There were a lot of things that she _shouldn't _do, but that had never stopped Melody before and it wasn't going to stop her now. Octavia had been right; their time was limited. Now wasn't the time to hold grudges and be at each other's throats. Now was the time to forgive, because soon they were going to have a lot more problems than their typical teenage drama. Now was the time to stand united, because it was their only choice. Now was the time to live in the moment and not worry about _should _and _shouldn't. _Now was the time to go with their guts, their hearts, and all the other body parts that weren't as cynical as the brain.

"Can I ask you for a favor, Melody? As a friend?" There was a note of fear and desperation in Raven's voice that Melody had never heard before.

"Of course."

"Please don't leave me here to die alone."

The request stunned Melody and sent a stab of pain straight to her heart. She had never seen Raven so vulnerable before. Raven was the tough mechanic from Mecha, the badass who didn't take shit from anyone. Or at least that's how she seemed on the outside. On the inside, however, she was just as afraid as the rest of them. She was afraid of dying and, more importantly, she was afraid of dying alone.

Melody wanted to say something, to assure Raven that she was going to be alright. She wanted to tell her that Finn would be back soon with the medicine and then they would have her back in tip top shape in no time. There were a lot of things that she wanted to say to Raven in that moment, but words seemed to fail her. So, instead of saying anything, she just reached out and grabbed Raven's hands, lacing their fingers together tightly. She sent the other girl a small smile and nodded slightly, before relaxing against the wall behind them, because she knew that they were going to be there for a while.

And that said more than words ever could.


	33. Chapter 33

**In honor of Netflix releasing season two of The 100, here's a new chapter. Warning: This is the next to last chapter. –Sad face- It doesn't feel like it's possible that there's already thirty-three chapters, and we've gone through almost an entire season. ALSO, it's the beginning of the battle so be prepared for the chance of some semi-graphic scenes. **

**Thirty-Three**

It was no secret that Melody wanted to be out on the front line, fighting alongside her friends as they waged a war against the grounders. Every instinct she had was screaming at her to pick up her bow and launch herself into the middle of the conflict. After all the grounders had done, after all they had taken from her, Melody was more than ready to repay the favor. She could practically taste revenge on the tip of her tongue, just sitting there, hers for the taking.

"_I need you, Melody." _Clarke had told her when she returned to the dropship, on the verge of pleading although she remained very dignified and direct._ "Bellamy has got dozens of soldiers out there, fighting. One more isn't going to make any difference to him. But I've got _no one._ To me, you make all the difference." _

And so she had stayed.

Pacing the dropship was probably useless, but it seemed to be the only thing that kept Melody going. She needed to keep herself busy, but she was no rocket scientist and she had long ago given up on trying to help Clarke decipher the mess of wires beneath the dropship. Pacing and listening to the radio was the closest she was ever going to get to the battle raging outside. Pacing and listening, pacing and listening, a simple routine that quickly became maddening.

What was going on out there? Had the grounders finally reached camp? Was everyone alright? Did they have enough bullets? Were they winning? Were they losing? Did they need her?

It was impossible for Melody not to worry. The only news she got was the few status reports from the radio and it had been ages since the last one. She didn't know what was going on and she didn't know whether or not her friends were alright. Octavia, Jasper, and Bellamy were all out there, fighting. She needed _answers_, damn it.

"Melody, you're making me dizzy." Raven said simply, watching Melody from her spot on the floor. The brunette was frowning. Maybe from the worry, maybe from the pain, or maybe because the bad vibe that had settled over camp was slowly creeping up on them. Finn still hadn't returned with the medicine and Raven was holding on by a thread although she tried her best not to show it. Things were looking worse and worse by the minute.

"Sorry." The muttered apology held no real sincerity and it certainly didn't stop Melody from pacing around like a raving lunatic. What did they expect? Put a wild animal in a cage and it's bound to get restless. The same rules applied to Melody.

"Worrying isn't going to do you any good, you know." Pointed out Raven. "This is happening and it's happening _now._ And whether we like it or not, there's nothing we can do to stop it."

"Maybe I can't stop it…but I could minimize the casualties." Melody insisted, reaching up to brush her fingers affectionately along the wooden bow that hung across her chest and over her back.

"If you _really _wanted to help, you'd be down there with Clarke."

"I'm not a friggen rocket scientist, Raven. That's Monty."

"No, that _was _Monty." The words came out sounding cruel and callous, just as Raven had wanted them to. "Monty's gone now. And unless you want the rest of our friends to be gone, too, you'll stop pacing and make yourself useful."

Melody scowled at Raven for a long time, the phrase 'if looks could kill' coming to mind. That very low blow only affected Melody because the words were true. There was a lot she could be doing, if only she wasn't fantasizing about being out on the battlefield.

_Okay, it's time to get serious. _With that thought in mind, Melody fished around in the pocket of her jacket and brought forth a little red hair ribbon. She pulled the fiery red mass of hair back away from her face and tied it up securely, putting on her game face. Without a word to Raven or Clarke she snatched up one of the flashlights and crossed the room in order to drop down into the bottom of the drop ship, surrounded once more by a mess or wires and tubes and other techy junk that she would never be able to identify.

"Orange wire, Melody." Clarke called, her voice very faint. Her blonde head was hidden from view, so Melody imagined that she, too, must be submerged in this mess. "Find the orange wire and follow it."

That seemed simple enough. Melody began to make her way through the wires, crouching slightly so that she could get a good look. There were a lot of sickly greens and dusty charcoals, but she didn't see anything that even resembled orange. Melody noted, with a sinking sense of disappointment, that a lot of the wires were no longer in working order. A lot of them had been severed and some were just completely fried. _If _they found this orange wire, that might not be the end of their worries.

_You really should have listened more when Monty spoke,_ she scolded herself lightly as she realized just how confused she actually was. The words were meant to make her feel guilty, and boy did she ever. Not because she couldn't find the goddamn orange wire, but because now she would never again have the chance to listen when Monty spoke. They said you didn't realize what you had until it was gone. They were right.

But now was not the time to get emotional. Now was the time to get the ring of fire up and running, because if they didn't…Well, Melody didn't want to imagine what would happen then.

"Do you see it or don't you?" Asked Raven, the irritation in her voice more than clear.

There was a pause and then Clarke called back, "No."

"It's a mess down here." Melody added with a small frown as she dragged her fingers along another wire, wiping off the dust to reveal yet another shade of brown. She was starting to doubt whether or not there even _was _an orange wire hidden within this mess.

"It'll be _orange._ The only orange one, guys."

"Well, I'm not seeing anything that even resembles orange." Clarke muttered, not quite quietly enough to avoid being heard from above.

"Look harder!" Scolded Raven, and Melody could imagine the annoyed look on her face that she got when one of her projects was getting too complicated. "You have to find the wire that connects the manual override to the electromagnet. It's _not _rocket science."

"It _is _rocket science, actually." Clarke said, pausing in her search to roll her eyes and send Melody a slightly amused 'can you believe her?' look.

"Guess we finally found something you're not good at." Raven was talking more to herself than to Clarke, and there was no missing the bitter tone in her voice. "I used to be picked first for everything. Earth skills, zero-g mech course. First every time." She informed them, rather proudly but still with that same unbelievably bitter undertone. "So, how the hell did I end up here?"

There were a few moments of silence as they absorbed those words. Clarke and Melody exchanged an awkward glance which ended with Melody hurriedly searching for the orange wire once more. _Anything _to get away from the strange tension between those two.

Melody could sympathize with Raven. It hadn't been easy for her to come down to Earth and integrate herself into their group. They were already content, they didn't _need _her. Raven had been forced to find her place with them and –at least in her eyes- she was always coming in second. She had been second to Monty, because he was their 'mechanic.' He wasn't as advanced as Raven, but he knew what he was doing, and he was the guy that everyone went to for those kinds of problems. She was second to Clarke, because Finn had moved on and found himself a new girlfriend. She was second to Melody, because sleeping with Bellamy hadn't been enough to make him stay.

Melody didn't know what to say to make Raven feel better in this situation. Luckily, Clarke had always been a people person. "Raven?" Clarke called hesitantly, turning her blue eyes towards the mechanic above. When Raven looked back down at Clarke, the blonde smiled slightly and said, "I'd pick you first."

"Of course you would." Raven said a few moments later, sounding a lot like her usual, confident self. "I'm awesome."

Melody was relieved that the tension seemed to fade away then. The last thing they needed right now was to waste time being petty when they could waste time trying to figure out how to keep themselves alive.

The two girls went back to searching for the wire then, going back and forth over areas that they had covered more than once over the last few hours. Every minute that passed without finding the wire was another minute wasted. Eventually Melody began to doubt whether or not there actually _was _an orange wire when Clarke called out, "Hey, I found it. Orange wire."

"About time! Now follow that wire to the override panel." Instructed Raven, who was now leaning over to peer into the hole in the dropship floor, watching as Clarke did as she asked and followed the wire.

"Raven?" There was a nervous edge in Clarke's voice that prompted Melody to walk over to her friend and inspect the damage. Upon seeing the frayed wire, Melody groaned loudly and leaned against the wall, eyes slipping shut as she said, "It's fried."

"Tell me this isn't as bad as I think." Pleaded Clarke, who looked down at the wire for a few more seconds before allowing it to drop. A prolonged silence had her asking, "Raven?"

"You know how to splice a wire?"

"…No."

"Then it's worse." There was no mistaking the anger and annoyance in Raven's voice. It was obvious that she wished she could be of some use to them, but it was impossible with her current condition.

"Hey, stop." Soothed Clarke, in that motherly tone she always used on them. Melody called it her 'doctor voice.' It was hard not to listen to her when she sounded so calm and confident. "Just talk me through it."

Raven went to say something, but at that moment they heard Jasper's voice ringing through the walkie talkie that was clipped to Clarke's belt. _"Raven, our mines actually worked!_" As if to prove his point, there was the muffled sound of an explosion in the background. There were other voices, too, but none of them could make out what was being said. All they could hear was Jasper, his surprised little laugh fluttering through the speaker, followed by more gunshots.

"Jasper can splice!" Raven suddenly remembered, brown eyes growing wide with relief.

This was news to them, but Clarke didn't waste even a moment doubting Raven. She snatched up the little hand-held device and said in her 'leader voice' –the one that didn't give you an option to disobey- "Jasper, we need you in the dropship. _Right now._"

"_Negative."_ That was Bellamy's voice. Melody let out a relieved breath that she didn't know she'd been holding in. He was alright. "_We can't give up the west woods._"

"The west woods are mined, Bellamy." Clarke reminded him shortly. "The grounders just figured that out. Jasper, _get in here._"

There was a murmur of agreement from Jasper, and they could hear him passing the walkie talkie over to whoever had been stationed with him. Clarke and Melody climbed up out of the hole, because there was no reason for them to be underneath the floor any longer. Somehow, in the midst of all of this, they had forgotten just how good Jasper was when it came to things like this. He was a warrior first and a chemist second, so it was no surprise that it had slipped their minds. They were all more than a little relieved to know that someone with a little bit of training would now be responsible for this complex plan, and not two amateurs with absolutely no experience.

"Hey, Clarke? Can I have that?" Melody nodded her head towards the walkie talkie that was still clipped to Clarke's belt. She held her hand out expectantly, relieved when Clarke didn't put up a fuss before handing it over.

Melody turned the volume up and brought it close, listening to the play-by-play. It was so frustrating to be able to hear, but not to see. All she got to hear were Bellamy's commands and the sound of gunfire and the mines as they exploded. What she wouldn't give to _see _it all…From what little she gathered, things were not going so great for their side of the war. They were outnumbered and they were quickly running out of ammo. Right now she wanted to be out there more than anything, but her job inside the dropship was not done.

"You'll go crazy listening to that thing, Melody."

"Don't care."

"Really, you shouldn't do that."

"Whatever."

"Melody, I'm telling you-"

"Shut_ up_, Raven."

"Both of you shut up!" Clarke rolled her eyes and shook her head, as if she were sick of dealing with unruly children. And honestly, she probably was.

Jasper chose that moment to rush into the dropship, flushed and wide-eyed, ready to splice some wires. His gun was slung across his back and he had gunpowder spread across his face, making him look very much like a rebel soldier. No sooner had he gotten through the door than Melody pounced on him –literally- without any warning at all. She gripped him tightly by the front of his shirt and pulled him in close for a hug, causing the boy to chuckle in surprise. "It's good to see you, too, Mels."

"Thank god you're alright." Melody said quietly, taking a moment to revel in the fact that he had returned to her in one piece. Jasper was alright. He'd been on the front line, but he was alright. Not a single scratch on him, actually.

Once the initial relief had sunk in, she had her game face on once more. "How bad is it?"

"Honestly, it's pretty rough. I don't think we'll last much-"

Clarke cleared her throat then, and all eyes fell upon her. Glances were exchanged between Jasper and Clarke over the top of Melody's head, a look of guilt on Jasper's face and a look of stern warning on Clarke's. The suspicious exchange had Melody scowling immediately, and she had the sense that the two of them were keeping something from her. And Melody _hated _being kept out of the loop.

"_What_?" She demanded, looking between the two of them, wishing that they would just tell her whatever it was instead of making her bed for it. "What's going on?"

"It's nothing, Mels." Jasper waved it off, literally, and flashed her a bright smile. It was a little _too _bright. Especially for a man who'd just been to war and back. "You guys needed me for something, right?"

"Wire splicing." Raven said, nodding her head towards the hole in the floor. "You should probably get down there. It's a mess."

"Raven's right." Clarke agreed quickly. "It might take you a while."

Jasper went to move towards the hole in the floor, but he had only managed to take a few steps when Melody's arm shot out to block his path. Narrowed green eyes swept across each one of their guilty little faces. "You guys are keeping secrets." She accused, before crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "And secrets do not make friends."

"Melody…it's nothing." Clarke reached up and habitually tucked a strand of her blonde hair behind one ear, sending Melody a reassuring smile. Oh, it was so _something. _

"I guess I'll just find out for myself then." She began to walk away from the group.

"Melody, wait." Clarke called out. The blonde doctor heaved a heavy sigh, looking less than pleased and possibly a little annoyed. "I'll tell you."

"Tell me _what_?" If someone didn't say something soon, Melody was going to lose it.

"Bellamy doesn't want you out there." Clarke admitted, raising one shoulder in a lazy shrug. "He told me to keep you in here, to keep you busy while they fought. He wanted me to keep you _safe. _I'm not supposed to let you go out there, no matter how bad it gets."

_Oh. My. God. _

"_What_?" Melody was seething, absolutely _livid. _She looked at Clarke first, but she made sure to pierce everybody with an accusing stare. Now that the jig was up, they all looked sort of sheepish and uncomfortable. As if _they _were the ones who had spent their entire afternoon being tricked by their so-called 'friends.'

"Don't be mad, Mels. We all thought it would be better if you stayed in here. Clarke really did need the help." Said Jasper, trying to be helpful, trying to diffuse the situation. But the boy had put his foot in his mouth, and he was only making Melody angrier.

"This was a _group decision_?" This could not be happening. They all knew how dead-set she was on doing her part, yet they'd kept her inside the dropship under false pretenses. They'd treated her like a child, someone who couldn't make her own decisions, someone who needed to be protected. It was infuriating and embarrassing, even more so because Melody had actually fallen for it.

"Jasper, get downstairs and start splicing that wire. We're wasting time." Clarke instructed, jerking her head in the direction of the hole. Jasper immediately complied, probably more so because of his desire to get away from this hostile environment than his desire to splice some wires. Once Jasper was out of sight, Clarke set her baby blues back on Melody. "Melody, please don't do anything stupid. Bellamy wants you in here because he wants to keep you safe. He's doing this for your own good."

"_I'm _the only one who gets to decide what is or isn't good for me." Declared Melody, shaking her head in angry disbelief. The _nerve _of these people. It was absolutely baffling to think that they would try and pull the wool over her eyes like this. "And if I want to fight, then I'm going to fight."

"Don't be like that. Don't let your silly pride get in the way of logic, Melody." Urged Clarke, sounding far too much like a patronizing mother for Melody's liking. "We both know you only want to fight now because you've been told 'no.'"

"Screw you, Clarke." Melody shook her head and huffed, fed up with talking about this nonsense. Being told yes or no made absolutely no difference to Melody. In the end, she always did what she wanted. "Where the hell is my quiver?"

"Melody, don't-"

"_All gunners, listen up._" Bellamy's voice came through the walkie talkie, effectively cutting Clarke off mid-sentence. Melody snatched up the little device once more and held it close, listening. _"The grounders are not attacking. They're making us waste bullets. Don't fire until you're sure it's attack. Repeat, do not fire until you are sure._"

Bellamy's voice faded out and within a few moments it was replaced by the sound of more bullets and lots of shouting. It was impossible to tell what was going on or what was being said, but Melody had a sinking feeling that it was not good. Her fears were confirmed when she heard Harper's voice on the walkie talkie saying, "_West foxhole pulling back._"

"The west foxhole is falling." Melody said, green eyes wide with worry as she looked over at Clarke, her anger momentarily forgotten. Even the blonde looked concerned, her lips pressed into a tight line as she stared back at Melody silently. "That's our last external defense. If the grounders get past that foxhole they're going to be knocking right on our front door. I've got to help them, Clarke!"

"For the hundredth time, Melody. You need to stay here. It's not safe out there!"

"Well gee, I wonder why that is, Clarke." Sarcasm dripped form every word Melody spoke. "Maybe it's because we're in the middle of war."

"Now isn't the time to be making rash decisions. It's the time to be _smart._" Clarke insisted, seemingly unable to let go of her ridiculous notion that Melody should remain inside of the dropship. "You're safe in here."

"If they get to the gate, _no one _is safe." Melody said slowly, trying to make sure that Clarke completely understood the words they were saying and the seriousness behind them.

"Then what's the point in you going out there at all? The west foxhole is down. They're coming, Melody. And you can't stop them."

"_Here they come! Fall back!_" Bellamy's static-filled voice rang out once more. _"South foxhole down. I repeat, south foxhole—oh shit!" _Bellamy's voice cut out and was replaced with the sound of twigs snapping, guns firing, and people yelling. Not just yelling to yell, but yelling in _fear. _There was the undeniable sound of a struggle, and it was then that Melody realized the grounders were taking over the foxhole that Bellamy was stationed at.

"Where the _hell _is my quiver?" Melody's voice was high with panic as she desperately searched for the little wooden quiver that held her bows.

"Melody, _please._" Clarke's voice held genuine concern and pleading now as she looked at Melody, who had found her quiver hidden behind one of the crates and was getting ready to go. "If you go out there, you might not come back."

Melody looked at Clarke and then at Raven, both of whom were silently pleading with her to stay. It was etched across every detail of their worried faces, their concern so real that it cut through Melody like a knife. Oh, how she hated to disappoint them. But there was no choice to be made, not this time. No amount of pleading could make her stay, not when she knew Bellamy was out there alone and facing an army of grounders. They were in this together. They always had been.

"I'm sorry…" Melody shrugged her shoulders and gave Clarke a small, sad smile. There was no changing her mind, not on this. "He needs me." There was no denying the fact that he needed _somebody_'_s _help, and it might as well be hers. Besides, Melody wasn't doing this _just _for Bellamy; she was doing it for herself, too. Because there was a needy little voice in the back of her mind that was saying _'I can't do this without him.' _Because whether Melody wanted to admit it or not, the truth remained the same."And I need him."

Clarke frowned, obviously not happy, but she ever so slowly nodded her head in a sign that was something akin to approval. "May we meet again."

"We will." Melody assured her, lips curving upwards into a smile.

But that was one promise that they all knew she shouldn't plan on keeping.

oOoOoOo

Melody tore out of the dropship like a bat out of hell.

She had never moved so quickly in all of her life. It felt more like flying than running, what with the wind rushing through her hair and her feet hardly ever touching the ground. Her heart was pounding in her chest to the point that it was painful and she could hear its frantic beat in her ears, but Melody didn't dwell on the fact. _Bellamy. Gotta get to Bellamy. _There was that little voice in the back of her head again, seemingly on repeat.

The panic Melody felt only spurred her on, helping her to reach the tunnels in record time. By now her chest was heaving and her lungs felt like they were on fire, but she didn't even think to slow down. Bending only slightly, Melody ran through the tunnels as quickly as her long legs would carry her, breath coming out in heavy pants. _Bellamy. Gotta get to Bellamy. Bellamy, Bellamy, Bellamy._

She burst out of the tunnel and looked around with wide eyes, her head whipping back and forth so quickly that it was almost comical. South foxhole…where the hell was the south foxhole? Melody paused to draw in deep, burning breaths trying to collect her thoughts. There were four foxholes; north, south, east, and west. Which way had she come from? Which direction would lead her to the foxhole where Bellamy was stationed?

She didn't have time to guess right now. Praying that the odds might be in her favor for once, Melody took off once more in a random direction. The trees all blurred by, unrecognizable masses of green and brown, none of them giving away any signs that she might be headed in the right direction.

For a few moments Melody's footsteps were the only ones she heard. _Thunk, thunk, thunk. _It was just the sound of her combat boots pounding against the trodden grass beneath them. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, there came the sound of approaching footsteps. They were lighter than Melody's, almost silent apart from the sound of the soles hitting the ground every few seconds. And before she knew what was happening, somebody running right alongside her. Green eyes flickered to the side and Melody let out a soft gasp, almost stumbling in her surprise.

"Octavia!"

The brunette was running just as quickly as Melody, pushing herself with the same determined look etched across her hard features. Dirt coated the girl's face and her hair was a wild, tangled mess down her back. Like Melody, her chest was heaving and her hazel eyes were wide with urgency. She hardly even spared Melody a glance when she called out, "The south foxhole is falling!"

"I know." Panted Melody, nodding her head. Her voice was ragged and every breath she drew in felt like a straight shot of Unity Juice. Running was her least favorite pastime, and the rough terrain did not make it any easier. Tall grass, slippery soil, large rocks, and fallen trees seemed to slow her down at every turn.

The two girls fell silent, both of them focusing on reaching the foxhole. It wasn't the foxhole they were worried about; it was Bellamy. The reality of the situation was sinking in and it was sinking in quickly. Octavia didn't want to lose her big brother. Bellamy was all she had left. He was her friend, her brother, her protector. She couldn't lose him. And Melody didn't want to lose her rock. Bellamy was the only thing anchoring her. He was the one who kept her steady and calm and _sane _most of the time. She couldn't lose him…it wasn't an option.

The foxhole had come into view now, and Melody forced herself the last couple of yards. Her legs were screaming in protest and her lungs were threatening to combust, but Melody tuned it all out and focused on the task at hand. _Get to Bellamy. Get to Bellamy. Get to Bellamy. _Once those words entered her mind they sunk in and took root, making everything else fade into the background.

Time seemed to slow down as she came to an abrupt stop near the foxhole, widened green eyes watching the scene that was unfolding in front of her. Two grounders –big, aggressive, scary brutes- had infiltrated the foxhole and they were fighting with Bellamy and Miller. Fighting wasn't exactly the right word. These men were trained soldiers, not little boys pretending to be. There was no competition.

One of the grounders had Miller pinned up against a tree. Not _just _pinned, as in holding him there with his hands. A sword had been pushed through the flesh of Miller's arm and it was stuck in the tree behind him, making the boy ultimately defenseless as the grounder roughed him up. On the ground another grounder was wrestling with Bellamy, pinning him down against some of the rocks, big hands wrapped around the young man's throat. Bellamy's face was turning an alarming shade of purple, but the ruthless grounder just grunted and squeezed harder, Bellamy's feeble attempts making no difference.

In that split second of hesitation as they stood there assessing the situation, Melody and Octavia seemed to come to an unspoken agreement. Octavia dove for the grounder that had Bellamy on the ground, drawing her sword –when had she gotten that?- as she went. There was a gross, wet sound as the blade was forced through the skull of the grounder and came protruding out of his eye socket, just inches away from Bellamy's throat. The grounder fell away and Octavia pulled her blade out, wiping the blood off on the leg of her pants.

When Octavia went for one grounder, Melody went for the other. There was no time to grab her bow, not when Miller was being sliced open like some sort of animal. And the grounder was laughing, obviously amused by Miller's shouts of pain as he reached for his arm and tried to get the blade out. Melody's fingertips grazed her belt and yanked her small makeshift knife off of it. She lunged for the grounder, dragging her knife across the length of his exposed jugular. For a few moments she just stood there and watched as the grounder backed away, clutching at his throat. Blood poured from the wound and covered the grounder's hands as he tried to staunch the flow. Widened brown eyes stared at her, full of fear and confusion.

"Not so funny anymore, huh?" She asked, hating the slight quiver in her voice as she literally watched the life drain out of the man.

Melody was surprised by just how easy it had been to kill the grounder. She'd done so without a moment of hesitation, without a second thought. And as she watched him lay there in a pool of his own blood she felt no remorse. _Only relief. _It had been just as easy as the last time she'd killed a man, when she had split him open from ear to ear with one of his own scalpels. Jason and the grounder were one in the same. They were both bad men. They were both dangerous. And they were both trying to hurt the people she loved.

"You alright, Miller?" Melody moved forward and gripped the end of the grounder's weapon. With one great tug it was pulled free, giving no resistance as it slid out just as easily as it had gone in. She tossed the bloodied weapon aside and reached for Miller's arm, taking a closer look at the wound. It had been a nice, clean attack. Straight through his arm and out through the other side. From what Melody could tell it hadn't hit anything major, so that was a good sign.

"I'm good." Miller insisted, cradling his injured arm against his chest once Melody had finished poking and prodding it. "Just a scratch."

"'Atta boy." She reached out and clapped him on the shoulder, offering a small smile.

They didn't have time for small talk. One minute they were fine and in the next there was the sound of something whirring through the air towards them. Melody heard a soft _thunk _followed by Octavia crying out. When she spun back towards the Blake siblings Melody saw that Octavia had taken an arrow to her leg.

"You're hit!" Bellamy shouted the obvious, drawing Octavia close to him. He turned to look at Miller, who was standing by the tree and watching with wide eyes. "Miller, fall back!" The boy immediately obeyed, turning on his heel and disappearing into the forest. Once he was gone, Bellamy's brown gaze shifted towards Melody and he frowned at her, shaking his head. "No way. You get your little redheaded ass back to the dropship, where it belongs!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" Insisted Melody, who was frowning up at him. "I came here to help."

"I don't _need _your help, Melody." He snapped lightly, still glowering at her. "I can handle this."

"Oh yeah. _Definitely. _I mean, the grounder choking the life out of you really screamed '_I've got this under control._'"

"I was handling it!"

"You were getting your ass kicked."

"Why the hell did Clarke let you leave the ship?" Bellamy sent Melody a look that was far too close to accusatory for her liking. "I told her to keep you there until this was all over."

"I don't give a damn _what _you told her. I left and now I'm here, whether you like it or not."

"Not." Bellamy said simply, not even trying to sugar coat things. "Definitely not."

Melody felt herself growing increasingly irritated. She knew that Bellamy's desire to protect her was fueling his asinine behavior, but that didn't matter. She didn't _need _protection. The last time she'd checked, _she _was the one aiding in _his _rescue. Not the other way around…not this time. When was he going to realize that she could handle herself?

Melody gave a lazy half-shrug and looked up at him. "Well, I suppose I could remedy the situation. If I turn back now, however, I'm going to have to face the grounders in the forest. Big, mean, scary guys with bows and spears and hatchets. I suppose I could try and fight them off, though, seeing as how you're so desperate to get rid of me."

Bellamy groaned, clearly exasperated by Melody and her constant theatrics. "This could have all been avoided if you'd just stayed in the dropship. Why can't you ever just _listen _to me when I talk? Seriously, just one time. That's all I'm asking for. _One. Goddamn. Time._" He growled the last few words out, still scowling down at Melody.

"Look, we can try and pick apart my brain and discuss all of the reasons why I didn't do as you instructed, or we can get your sister back to camp. In case you didn't notice, she's kind of got an arrow sticking out of her body." Pointed out Melody, who gripped Octavia tightly by the forearm. "Your choice."

"_Shit, _you're right." His gaze flickered towards Octavia. "Can you walk?" Bellamy asked, concern lacing his voice as he watched his slightly unsteady sister, who looked sort of dazed and confused. Instead of responding, the girl just stumbled a few steps before Bellamy managed to catch her. "O. Hey. Hold on to me." Bellamy instructed, wrapping his arm around her waist as he attempted to prop her body up against his.

"I'll help." Melody offered, moving forward to mimic his actions so that they had Octavia sandwiched between the two of them. Once they were both equally supporting Octavia's weight Melody said, "Alright. I've got her."

"We need to get her behind the wall." Bellamy instructed, taking a hesitant couple of steps towards the direction of camp. Melody easily matched his pace, and soon the three of them were moving quickly and quietly through the forest, on red-alert for any sign of more grounders.

"There's a tunnel just outside of the gate." Melody said, picturing the main tunnel that led them in and out of camp. "But how are we going to get her inside if the place is surrounded by grounders?"

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Bellamy didn't sound pleased with his answer, but it was the only one he could give. After all, it wasn't like any of this had been a part of his grand plan.

Melody didn't want to point out the obvious, but the bridge was rapidly approaching. In fact, she could see it just beyond the horizon, looming dark and dangerous. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of her gut, but she refused to acknowledge it. She couldn't give up hope, not now. Not when they had come so far. _We can do this. We can do this. We __**can**__ do this. _They could do it; they _had _to do it.

And Melody had an idea as to how.

"Can you carry her yourself, Bellamy?" Melody asked slowly, looking over at the man. She bit down on her lower lip, worrying the plump bit of flesh between her teeth in a nervous manner.

"I think so. Why? Is she too heavy?" Bellamy shifted Octavia so that she was leaning against him. His brown eyes met Melody's over the top of Octavia's head. They widened as he watched her step away and reach for her bow. "Melody, no."

"I'll be alright." Melody said, flashing him the bravest smile that she could manage. Her other hand reached up and pulled an arrow out of the quiver, which was slung across her back. "You need to worry about getting Octavia to the gate."

"You can't just run into the middle of the fight! That's absolutely insane." Insisted Bellamy, giving a firm shake of his head. He sounded somewhat worried, somewhat frustrated. What was new? "I won't let you do this."

"Contrary to popular belief, Bellamy, you don't tell me what I can and cannot do." She reminded him, for the millionth time. She had already knocked her arrow. All that remained was finding a target and following through with the shot.

"Now is not the time to be stubborn, Melody. You could get killed."

"I'm so sick of hearing that! '_It's too dangerous, Melody.' 'You could get hurt, Melody.' 'Better hide out in the dropship like a little bitch, Melody.' _Well, I've had enough of it!" She insisted, her voice a low hiss.

"I'm just trying to look out for you!"

"Yeah? And who's looking out for _them_?" She asked, jerking her head in the direction of camp, which was now visible. There were people lined up in front of the gates, weapons ready. On the other side, the grounders tried to beat their way in. "I can help, Bellamy."

Bellamy sighed heavily, running a hand through his tousled black hair. He was obviously undecided, but Melody was wearing him down bit by bit. She had a funny way of getting into his head at times like this. She got in there and then she manipulated her way around, rerouting his thoughts and feelings until she managed to finally get her own way.

"I only need to distract them, Bellamy. Just lead them away from camp." Melody insisted, her voice coming out firm and confident. Thankfully there was no way for him to see just how nervous she was inside. "I can do this."

Bellamy stared at her for a few long moments before giving a stiff nod. "Fine. You lead them away from camp and then loop back around. Come in through the south tunnel."

"Got it." Melody nodded eagerly, already moving away from him.

"And Melody?"

She paused and threw him a glance over her shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Don't die."


	34. Chapter 34

_Forgive me for the delay. _

_Thank all of you for loving Melody as much as I do._

_And thank you for allowing me to tell you her story._

**Thirty-Four**

Melody really didn't think her plan through.

"Hey, asshats!" She shouted, running into the line of sight of two or three grounders. The big, burly men turned to look at her with low growls. They looked bigger up close, and fiercer. Deadly. As if they could rip her head off with just a twitch of their fingertips.

_You can do this. _

"How about you come play with the big girls?" Melody taunted, beckoning them towards her with a crook of her index finger. She sounded confident, maybe even arrogant. Inside she felt like a quivering puddle of Jell-O.

They moved surprisingly fast for men the size of mountains. The words had barely left her lips when the three men were barreling after Melody, letting out frightening war cries that chilled her to the bone. These weren't just men; they were warriors. For the first time it seemed to sink into Melody's brain that this was real. It wasn't play fighting. This was _war. _

Without a second thought she turned on her heel and took off into the woods, running as fast as she possibly could, guided only by the moonlight and her shoddy sense of direction. Running. Again. She seemed to always be running away from one thing or another. Grounders, mainly. There were many things to be said about life on Earth, but none of them could claim that it was ever dull.

Melody had only run a few yards when she saw them break through the trees. _Reapers. _Huge, brawny warriors that acted more like animals than men. Their faces were smeared with war paint and various, bloody weapons hung from their belts. When they screamed it made everyone shiver. They weren't just warriors. They were _predators. _They killed for fun and then they ate what remained of their victims. From the stories she'd been told about the reapers, Melody knew that she didn't want to come face-to-face with one.

All at once the priority of the grounders at the gate shifted. There were a few silent moments as everyone froze, and then the reapers charged. There was the sound of metal on metal as the grounders and the reapers clashed in a bloody, brutal battle. Men cried out and fell, others charged forward and attacked. It seemed that breaking into the camp was no longer the most important thing to the grounders.

Two of the men that had been chasing her abruptly changed direction and headed off into the fight. Only one continued to follow after her, his long legs seeming to work twice as hard as he picked up speed. Melody stumbled slightly as she tried to pay attention to what was going on at the gate, but she quickly righted herself and continued on.

Taking on one grounder was easier than taking on three, but Melody still had her work cut out for her. What if she couldn't outrun him? What if it came down to a fight? Melody had killed before. She would hopefully live to kill again. That wasn't what was bothering her. Melody could shoot a bow like it was nobody's business, but she didn't know how to run and shoot at a moving target that was behind her. Honestly, she wasn't prepared for battle. She didn't have armor. She didn't have a gun or even an axe. She wasn't strong. She wasn't _trained._

_Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit._

Melody broke through a cluster of trees and found herself in a clearing. She stopped abruptly and stumbled a few steps, head whipping from side to side as she tried to figure out where to go next. Her chest was heaving and her legs were burning, begging for some sort of relief. But she couldn't stop, not yet. Being out in the open was not an option. Being exposed was not an option. She had to find some more coverage, she had to try and lose the grounder on her tail. She had to get back into that forest.

Spinning around, Melody drew in a sharp breath as she came nose to nose with the edge of a blade. A fraction of a centimeter away from her face, its edge gleamed dangerously in the sunlight. Blood and dirt coated the sharp blade almost entirely, from tip to hilt.

With one small movement the well-worn weapon could easily slice her throat wide open and there was nothing Melody could do about it. Her knife hung from her belt, just out of easy reach. The bow was lowered, and she was sure that even the slightest movement would prompt the grounder to end her life without a second thought.

Her green gaze slowly traveled up the length of the grounder and came to rest on his beady, black eyes. It took everything in her to suppress a shiver at the sinister glint she saw there. A smirk tugged at the corners of the man's lips. He was enjoying this. He looked down at Melody like a smug predator who had just caught his prey.

With one swift movement he slammed her back against the trunk of a thick tree, the impact hard enough to steal Melody's breath and cause her to drop her bow. Gasping for air, she struggled against his hold, but the grounder had her pinned there with one over-sized hand. The other gripped his sword tightly, bringing it closer and closer to her flesh with every passing moment.

"Come on, big girl." The man mocked, laughing as he threw her words back in her face. "Let's play."

His wrist flicked, the blade carving its way through the side of her face, starting at her right temple and working its way down, towards the tender flesh of her cheek. Initially no pain accompanied the shallow would, but soon enough a faint stinging sensation followed. It reminded Melody of the time she'd gotten hit with a flying arrow, only this pain wasn't a fraction of the pain she'd felt then.

After all, he wasn't trying to hurt her. Not yet, anyways.

He was _playing_, just as she'd suggested.

As if to prove her point, the sword was slowly dragged across her flesh, leaving a thin trail of crimson in its wake. Melody ground her teeth together, trying to ignore the feeling of the warm blood trickling down her face. She couldn't move; even if she could get free of his grip, there was a ninety percent chance that his sword would be embedded in her chest before she had a chance to run.

"You know, usually I'd just get this over with. But there's something about you that makes me want to…_take my time._" The last few words were accompanied by a painful squeeze with his free hand, the grounder's fingers grasping hard enough to bruise the delicate skin at the junction of her neck and shoulder.

"I have…that effect on people." Melody wheezed, trying to draw in air despite the man's vice-like grip on the side of her throat.

"Hmm." He mused, gaze dropping to the gentle curve of her neck.

The sword trailed lower, splitting open Melody's face from her temple to her jawbone before it finally came to a stop. Blood dribbled down her face, staining a good portion of her ivory-colored skin red.

"Such a pretty face, for _skai kru_." Murmured the man, an almost thoughtful expression crossing his face as he looked down at her. "I hate to think that this might leave a scar."

He pressed the side of the sword deeper against Melody's jaw, for the first time eliciting a loud gasp from the girl. Tears swam in her eyes, a mixture of her fear and anger finally spilling over.

"Ahhh, there it is." A fingertip brushed against the corner of her eye, capturing a teardrop. "Not so brave now are you, sweetheart?"

The endearment caused Melody to tremble.

Bellamy's last words echoed in her ears. _Don't die. _

It was easier said than done, especially when death was looking her in the face.

"I'm braver than you." Whispered Melody, dropping her gaze and glaring at the ground with as much hatred as her tiny body could muster.

She wouldn't die a coward. She wouldn't die pleading for her life. She would die as all brave men die.

Her fingertips strained at her side, reaching for the knife.

_Live as a man. Die as a man. _Become _a man. _

"What was that, sky girl?" The grounder used the flat side of the sword to jerk Melody's head up, until she was looking into his eyes. "I didn't quite hear you."

"I said," Melody drew in a shallow breath. "_Get fucked._"

She lurched forward, driving the knife up and into the stomach of the unsuspecting grounder. The surprise was enough to get Melody free of his grasp, but her risky stealth attack was a double edged sword; with one end of said sword slicing a gash into the side of her neck that had Melody seeing stars.

With no time to waste, Melody dropped to the ground and reached out blindly in search of her bow. Her fingers gripped the smooth, curved edge and she grasped it firmly, executing a sloppy shoulder roll to put some distance between them. She climbed to her feet once more and nocked an arrow.

She had no idea how she managed to get the bow and get back on her feet before the grounder recovered, but somehow she did, her head still spinning and her stomach lurching dangerously after her ninja roll, which _was _much easier in the movies than in real life. The smell of the blood, so heavy and thick and _close _almost succeeded in making her double over right then and there. Had it been a moment of less importance, Melody would have succumbed to the urge and spewed her lunch all over the forest floor.

A matter of feet separated Melody and her attacker. Or was _she _the attacker now?

Chest heaving, Melody leveled a glare that would have brought a lesser man to his knees. As it was, the grounder stood standing, slightly hunched with one hand pressed against his abdomen. He watched her with a furious look of bewilderment in his eyes. His sword had been dropped and it lay by his side.

The roles had been reversed.

The grounder sidestepped, a barely noticeable shift to the right, and Melody let the arrow fly without hesitation. It hit the target, taking out the grounder's knee with a sickening _crack._ The man went down automatically, letting out an enraged roar while clutching at the shaft of the arrow, which was protruding from his flesh.

For good measure, Melody nocked another arrow and pulled back the bowstring one more, closing one eye and scrunching up her nose as she took aim. The arrow connected with the same gut-wrenching sound, this time taking out the grounder's other kneecap. The man let out another anguished cry that might have pulled at Melody's heart strings if not for the gash across the right side of her face, the mark of the sadistic warrior in front of her.

The man murmured low oaths in a language that Melody didn't understand. Despite the fact that he was lying on the ground incapacitated, the grounder still managed to glare up at her with all of the hatred of a man bested.

"You know…usually I'd get this over with," Melody echoed his earlier words as best as she could, only failing to match his tone; hers was hollow, void of any amusement. "But something about you makes me want to _take my time._"

Much to Melody's surprise, the man threw his head back and let out a loud, but pained laugh. It was bitter and short-lived.

"You're braver than you look, sky girl." He grimaced. "Perhaps in another life, you could be _trikru._"

Melody vaguely recalled that _trikru _was the group of grounders that Lincoln belonged to. A band of vicious, blood-thirsty savages that killed for sport, not out of necessity. They were devoid of any sort of sympathy. They ruled with fear and they took what they wanted with blood, not caring how many lives were taken in the process.

They were the living embodiment of everything Melody hated.

"I don't think so."

To prove to the grounder –and to herself- that she was nothing like the trikru, Melody lowered her bow and slung it over her back once more, along with the quiver.

She bent over and grasped the man's bloody sword with both hands. It was heavier than expected, and it took all of Melody's strength to life it off of the ground. Once she had it up, Melody grunted and, with a lot of exertion, she managed to heave the sword in the direction of the densely populated forest that they'd just come from. It flew a few feet before clattering to the ground, lost among the underbrush.

The man glared up at her, brows knitted together in confusion.

"Enjoy the long crawl home."

Melody turned her back on the grounder, and began to walk across the clearing. Her heart was beating wildly, partially from exertion and partially from the adrenaline and fear that simultaneously coursed through her body. Her breath came out in short spurts. Her muscles ached. The pain in her face was growing more prominent by the minute, and she highly doubted that there was a Band-Aid to be found. Her clothing was torn and bloodied. The side of her neck was turning a sickly mixture of yellow and purple, in the shape of a man's handprint.

But she was alive.

Against all odds, she'd somehow managed to cheat death again. Not without a price, of course; the scarring on her face would be proof of that whenever the wounds healed. _If _they healed. _If _she managed to make it through the rest of the day without fate catching up to her. She would always have a constant reminder of what she'd been through, and what she'd overcome.

Battle scars.

"Where are you going?" Demanded the man, who still lay in the same position on the ground, unable to get to his feet.

"Home." Melody called over her shoulder.

"_Home?_ You're not going to kill me?"

"Like I said," Melody paused and turned to face the man once more. "Enjoy the crawl."

"You coward!" He shouted, face contorting with rage. "Get back here and finish what you started! You can't leave me like this!"

He was still screaming after her as Melody disappeared into the forest.

Melody didn't know how long she'd spent running through the darkness. Ten minutes? Twenty? Half an hour? Time seemed to blur as she ran, doing her best to navigate through the dense forest while also trying to avoid running face-first into the trees The occasional patch of moonlight guided her when she wasn't in an area where the greenery was thick over her head, but that was seldom. Even more seldom was a sign that she was going in the right direction.

Her legs cramped and her muscles ached and her open wounds stung, but still Melody didn't allow herself to pause, not even to catch her breath. She was racing against time now, and every second spent idling was a second wasted.

_Don't die. _

The words echoed in her mind over and over again, but right now she wasn't worried about herself. She was worried about camp and about her people, or what might be left of them. She was worried about Bellamy and Octavia, who had been stuck outside of the gate the last time she'd seen them. Raven, whose condition was worsening by the second. Clarke and Jasper, who were running out of time to fix the wires beneath the dropship.

How many of them were alive? How many dead? Had the grounders managed to break through the gate yet? Did Jasper splice the wires, or had he run out of time? Was she going to find anything left in camp, aside from bodies?

All of these questions and more ran through Melody's mind as she journeyed through the darkened forest, guided by fear and determination. If nothing else, she had to make it back. Even if the battle was in full swing and there was no hope for any of them, she had to be there. After all they'd accomplished, all they'd worked through, all they'd built…their final stand would be together.

Dying anywhere else would be an insult to the memory of The 100.

By the time she finally made it to the south foxhole, Melody was running out of hope. The sight of the nearly-secluded entrance sticking out of the ground made her heart leap in her chest. Somehow, impossibly, she'd found it. Although she felt ready to keel over, Melody spurred herself on and closed the distance between herself and the foxhole in record time. She disappeared into the hidden passageway, back into the darkness. Within moments she had made it through and was bursting into the south side of camp.

Her head whipped from side to side in the darkness, assessing the situation. She could see the glow of the torches just ahead, and could just make out the shape of gunners at their posts. Somehow the gate was still intact, but she didn't know how long that would last. The sound of the roaring warriors just outside of the walls was growing louder and louder with every passing second.

Melody made a beeline for the dropship, panting and stumbling the whole way there. When she finally reached the entrance and threw back the curtain, she felt no relief. Raven was laying in the corner of the ship, eyes closed, with Clarke and Finn both hunched over her. A few campers were already in the ship, nursing the wounded and shielding themselves from the attack.

"Dear God, Melody…" Finn was the first to notice her presence in the ship. His eyes grew wide with horror as he assessed her, gaze sweeping from her marred face to the tattered and blood-soaked clothing that clung to her skin.

"Raven." Melody gasped out, unable to form a coherent thought let alone a full sentence. "She…is she…?"

"She's alive." Clarke pulled a needle out of Raven's side and passed the empty syringe to Finn. Within seconds she was at Melody's side, brushing back her hair and looking at the gouges that covered the side of her face. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Grounder." Melody waved it off easily, still struggling to breathe and unable to muster up the energy to tell the whole story. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine. You look like a freshly carved turkey."

"Thanks."

"Was it a knife?" Asked Clarke as she gently prodded the flesh around the wound, causing Melody to flinch.

"Sword."

"Jesus. He split you open from temple to chin." Clarke shook her head in disgust. "And it's not deep. Aside from that small spot on your chin, that might scar…and your jawbone. What, was he getting a kick out of it?"

"Something like that." Melody nodded wearily.

Clarke let out a heavy sigh and reached for the water bottle that hung from Melody's waist, but Melody intercepted her.

"What are you doing?"

"We have the clean the wound. Who knows what was on that sword?" Clarke, as always, was the voice of reason.

"I'll take the chance of infection." Said Melody shortly. "Where's Bellamy?"

Clarke and Finn exchanged an anxious glance.

"He's not back yet." Summarized Melody, already moving towards the door.

"Melody, wait-"

She didn't have to wait, because at that moment Miller came barreling through the door. He collided with Melody, one hand shooting out reflexively to catch her, but he had eyes only for Clarke.

"Clarke, they're taking the gate."

Melody could have sworn she felt her blood run cold. The gate, their last line of defense, was being overrun. And if that wasn't bad enough, Bellamy was still out there somewhere. Fighting, maybe. Wounded.

Or worse.

"Good." Jasper's head popped up suddenly from the hatch in the floor. "Because I think I did it."

The moment he climbed up and out of the hatch, Melody threw herself at him. She held him close for a moment, and then leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss against his cheek. When she pulled away, Jasper was staring down at her in bewilderment.

"Melody, what-"

"I love you, Jas." She said, cutting him off. "Stay safe."

"You can't be serious." Jasper gripped her tightly by the forearm and gave her a little shake, as if to knock some sense into her. "Melody, if you go back out there you'll _die_."

As if on cue, there was the sound of metal on metal and the crash of the gate being torn to the ground. It was over. The grounders had infiltrated camp. Now it was only a matter of time, and they all knew it.

"Use the grenades!" Someone shouted outside.

"Alright, Jasper. Get everybody. Get inside _now._" Ordered Clarke, already striding for the dropship door.

Jasper glanced down at Melody, giving her a pleading look. "Please, Mels. Stay"

"I can't." She shook her head, and tears were swimming in her eyes once more. "I can't just leave him, Jasper."

"You can't leave me, either." His voice was softer now, and Melody was surprised to see that Jasper had tears of his own. "I already lost Monty. I can't lose you too, Mels."

"Jasper, if there was any other way, I would take it." She assured him, lower lip quivering as she fought to keep her emotions in check. It didn't work. Tears began to stream down her face anyways, mingling with the dirt and the blood.

"Please." Was all he said, his grip on her loosening slightly. "Please don't go."

He was letting her make the choice.

For that, Melody loved him all the more.

She reached out and grasped Jasper by the back of the head, pulling him forward until their foreheads rested against one another. Melody squeezed her eyes shut and let out a ragged breath, already knowing that this would be their last goodbye.

"Jasper, you are my brother." Melody whispered to him, lips trembling. "No matter what happens, you will _always _be my brother."

She pulled away from him, knowing that their time was quickly running out. She'd said what she had to. And if -when- she died tonight, she would die having told Jasper exactly what they'd both felt all along.

Jasper looked down at her, tears in his eyes, and he gave a solemn nod.

"We are apache."

It was all the permission that Melody needed.

The familiar sound of gears whirring began, and Melody was shocked to realize that in the time spent saying their brief goodbyes, someone had begun to close the dropship door. Clarke stumbled in, just as the platform began to raise.

Melody didn't glance back before sprinting through the dropship entrance and diving to the ground below, as the door rose higher and higher. Finally, it sealed itself shut with a firm _bang_, and those inside were safe from the chaos beyond the ship. And those remaining outside were left to their fate.

All around her, bodies were falling.

Most of the bodies belonged to her fellow campers. They were outnumbered, out of ammo, and nowhere near as skilled as the trained killers that they were facing. Every so often a grounder fell, but the ratio of grounder to delinquent was not in the latter's favor.

"Bellamy." Melody whispered to herself, scrambling to her feet. She looked out at the crowd, squinting as she tried to decipher which one he was.

They all looked the same. Dark bodies silhouetted by the moonlight. The bigger, brawnier bodies belong to the grounders. The smaller bodies were those of the campers, and they were quickly diminishing.

She didn't know where to begin, but without wasting another moment Melody dove behind a thick, fallen log, where she took up shelter. The bow was in her hand once more, an arrow nocked, her head raised confidently over the side of the log. One eye closed, her nose scrunched up in true fashion, and Melody began to pick them off one by one. A shot to the heart. A shot to the knee. The eye, the skull, the neck.

Grounders fell quickly, one shot enough to render them immobile. After they were down, the work was done for her. Most of them got trampled. Some were picked off by the few remaining campers. Some died on impact, and by the time she'd been in the fight for only a few minutes she'd already killed enough men to have lost count. Melody fired in quick succession, making every arrow from her limited supply count.

Slowly, she made her way closer towards where the gate had once been. Most of the grounders spewed in from the entrance, a never-ending stream of warriors. Melody picked some of them off as they came, but for every _one _shot of hers, there were three more grounders barreling into camp. They were becoming more and more outnumbered by the minute, and Melody knew that it was a lost cause.

If a grounder didn't kill her within the next few minutes, the ring of fire would.

And yet she didn't run. She couldn't, not without Bellamy. If dying by his side was the fate that awaited her, Melody embraced death. She would sooner die than leave him behind to such an awful fate.

_Together. Always. _

As Melody lost herself in her own desperate thoughts, crouched behind a small wall of fallen bodies, a grounder came running at her from the side. Unarmed, but still deadly, the man tackled her to the ground, sending the both of them tumbling a few feet through the pile of dirt, blood, and corpses.

"Oof!" Melody gasped as the wind was knocked out of her, and her bow slipped from her fingertips, just out of reach.

The man, a fierce looking grounder with a scar across the entirety of one eye and war paint covering his entire face, pinned both of her arms down and let out a loud growl. He bared his teeth, chest heaving, looking more like an animal than a human being.

One hand moved from Melody's arm and towards her neck, fingers wrapping around her throat. Her gasp was cut off as her oxygen was stolen, and desperation began to creep in.

Melody brought one of her small hands up to her throat and wrapped it around the grounder's. She clawed at him with her nails, trying to loosen his grip, but to no avail. If anything his grip tightened, and his sneer widened as he looked down at Melody, watching as her face began to go from red to shades of purple.

Her fingertips flexed, reaching for the bow. She strained until her arm felt as if it was going to be ripped out of its socket, but still her fingertips barely brushed the recurve. A few moments of squirming brought Melody only slightly closer, not enough to make much of a difference When she tried to grip it fully, her last desperate attempt at winning this fight, the grounder took notice. He reached out and with one swing of his mighty fist, he broke the bow clean in half and sent it skidding another few feet.

Her bow, Melody's most prized possession, was destroyed.

She could feel the oxygen loss beginning to take effect. Her throat burned and her vision became spotty, little ink blots beginning to block out the rest of the world. There was a ringing in her ears that clearly screamed _warning, warning, warning. _ Her senses began to dull, and she'd never felt more helpless. Melody could literally feel the life force draining out of her, and no amount of scratching and tugging seemed to make any sort of difference.

She was going to die.

As the world faded, Melody closed her eyes. It didn't make any difference, but she didn't really want the grounder's glare to be the last thing she saw. Instead, she replayed images of her friends over and over again in her mind.

Jasper. Her very first friend, the first person that she'd ever felt connected to. Her rock, her safety net, her brother. The thought of his big brown eyes and his goofy smile was comforting enough to numb the pain as Melody began to slip away from the world of the living.

Monty. He'd always been a good friend to her. Smart, serious, honest. Far too innocent for this world, so maybe it was best that he'd been taken from them before it came down to this. She would be seeing him soon enough, she was sure.

Octavia. Her nemesis turned best friend. The closest thing Melody had ever had to a sister. Their bond gave a whole new meaning to the world _soul mate_, and Melody hoped that wherever Octavia was, she was safe.

Finn. Protective and cunning and _good._ He and Melody had never really seen eye to eye in most cases, but she would never forget the way he'd gently cradled her body against his after she'd been hurt. Would he carry her the same way to her grave?

Raven. Resourceful and an engineering genius. She was fiery and quick witted, and that's what had gained her Melody's admiration. Now was as good a time as any to forgive the girl for her mistakes, and so Melody did.

Clarke. Bossy, pushy, annoyingly right Clarke. They'd had a falling out, but Melody still had nothing but respect for the girl. She was always trying to save everyone. She was a good leader, and she could be trusted with the fate of their people. Melody hoped that Clarke would continue to take care of them, no matter what happened.

Bellamy.

There was an endless supply of words that she could use to describe him. Stubborn, conceited, obnoxious, pushy, strong, courageous, tender. Deep down he had a good heart, even if his hard exterior kept it hidden from the world. Melody was grateful that even for just a little while, she'd been allowed to see the man that hid beneath the surface. He'd taught her so much in just a short amount of time. How to stand up for herself. How to protect herself. How to slay her demons. He was, in a way, responsible for awaking the _real _Melody Pond, the one who'd been dormant for so many years on the Ark.

And for that, Melody could never thank him enough.

Her last thought would be of them, that day sitting on the dropship door, as dawn broke over the trees.

_"Come on, sweetheart." Pleaded Bellamy gently, giving her a knowing look. "Just tell me what's on your mind."_

_"You." Said Melody, without a moment's hesitation. "You're on my mind. You're on my mind all of the goddamn time."_

_There were a few beats of silence. Melody sat there staring at him, not allowing her gaze to waver. She was the one who had brought this up and she wasn't going to chicken out of it now. If Bellamy didn't have the same types of feelings towards her, well then that was his own damn problem. Melody was going to be honest and vulnerable for once if it killed her. And with each passing moment, she thought it just might._

_But then, Bellamy spoke._

_"Well that's something we have in common." He wiped the smirk off of his face and leaned forward slightly, piercing her with his overly-intense stare._

_"Oh." Melody said softly, not expecting something like that to come out of his mouth. Actually, that was the last thing she thought he would say. "Oh."_

_Normally Bellamy was so closed-off. He was their rough and tough leader, a guy who couldn't afford to have such emotions. The only ounce of compassion he had ever shown was towards his sister, but that was to be expected. Hearing such a real and heart-felt statement coming from him…well, it made her pretty weak in the knees. Melody's throat suddenly seemed dry and her face grew hot._

_"Yeah. 'Oh.'" Repeated Bellamy, nodding his head. Those dark brown eyes bore into hers, completely captivating Melody. There was a new light in his eyes, something dark and dangerous, but also soft in a way. Gentle. The look he was giving her made Melody shiver with anticipation._

_"I see." Melody cleared her throat nervously and withdrew her hand from his so that she could fold both of her hands in her lap. Green eyes watched him hesitantly, shyly for a few moments before she spoke again. "So what are we going to do about that?"_

_"Well…" It was Bellamy's turn to clear his throat now. One of his hands rubbed at the nape of his neck and for the first time his gaze wavered and his eyes darted around almost nervously before they found hers once more. "I was thinking we'd do this."_

_One of his hands cupped her chin gently as Bellamy leaned forward, moving in what seemed like slow motion. For a few moments he pierced her with that smoldering look, the one that always made her heartbeat quicken. And then, he was smirking at her for a fraction of a second before Melody watched as his brown eyes fluttered shut. Bellamy leaned towards her, continuing to come closer and closer, until he was impossibly close to her._

_And still he didn't stop._

_Strangely enough, Melody found herself leaning into him. The weariness that she had expected to feel when put into such a situation was all but nonexistent. There was no fear and there was no hesitancy. Instead, she was fueled by something much, much more intense than the pain that she had forced to endure in the past; she was fueled by passion._

_Their lips met and it was nothing like Melody had imagined. Bellamy wasn't rough and demanding like she knew he could be. Instead, he was soft and he was sweet and he was patient. His lips were gentle as they brushed against hers, his kiss as light as a feather and sweeter than anything she had ever known._

_The world seemed to fade away, as cheesy as it sounded. All Melody could focus on was Bellamy and the feeling of utter completeness that she felt the moment he kissed her. It was like she hadn't even known that there was something missing before, but now that she had that missing piece…something clicked._

_The underlying emptiness that she had always felt before was gone. The lingering guilt and the feeling of helplessness that had been with her since that tragic day long ago when something had been stolen from her that she would never get back seemed to disappear. There was no hesitation now, and there was no doubt. Melody knew that this was right. She could feel it in her mind, in her heart, her gut, her soul._

_He had finally done it._

_He had single-handedly slayed her demons._

"Melody."

She could hear his voice, plain as day, echoing through her thoughts. The familiar rumble of the deep baritone caused a lazy smile to spread across Melody's face. It was almost as if he were there with here, just mere inches away. She felt drawn to the sound of his voice; it filled her body, mind, and soul with warmth.

"Come on, sweetheart." Mused the angelic voice.

_Come on_? Thought Melody. _Come on where, where do I go_?

Wasn't there supposed to be some light at the end of the tunnel? A bed of clouds and pearly gates, and all that nonsense? That was the picture of heaven that had always been painted for her. And yet, for some reason she was hearing _his _voice…and so maybe this was hell. Maybe it was her own, personal hell, designed to torture her with memories of him and thoughts of what could have been.

Wow, dying really sucked.

"Melody." She felt a light pressure against her chest, stirring her.

She struggled to fight the foggy haze that clouded her mind. It seemed to take everything from her. The pain, the worry, the anxiety. It muddled everything and made her feel all warm inside, as if she was being hugged by an angel. She was lured deeper and deeper into the haze, fueled by the sound of that voice in her ears.

"Damn it, Melody!" The pressure against her chest was sharper now, the voice growing desperate. "Open your eyes, sweetheart. I know you can do it."

She felt a feather light kiss against his lips, and then there was the sensation of her chest expanding. It was as if someone was blowing her up like a balloon. Inflate, deflate. Inflate, deflate.

The actions were repeated over and over again, in quick succession. The pounding pressure against her chest, the soft kiss, the balloon sensation. With each passing moment as she focused more and more on this strange, confusing pattern, the haze in her mind began to ebb away. With it went the warmth, which was quickly replaced with pain.

With one final thud of a fist against her chest, Melody's eyes fluttered open slowly, and she let out a ragged gasp. Her chest felt as if it were on fire as her lungs worked in double-time to greedily draw in as much air as they could hold. Black spots still clouded her vision, but not as strongly as they had before. The hand that had been around her throat was gone, and Melody could breathe on her own again.

Peering down at her with a soot-covered face was Bellamy Blake.

"Bel?" She asked, blinking up at him like a baby owl. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "What happened? Are we dead?"

"If only we were that lucky." Said Bellamy grimly, as he helped her into a sitting position. "You stopped breathing for a minute there. Scared me half to death."

They were sitting in the middle of a small clearing, surrounded on all sides by forest. The campsite was nowhere to be found, and Melody could only imagine what had become of it. The grounder that had been pinning her down was gone as well, so she could only assume that he'd been killed and that Bellamy had carried her away from the fight. Somewhere not too far off, there was a faint crackling noise that sounded suspiciously like a bonfire.

"I'm...sorry?" Melody frowned. "The camp..."

"Don't be." He said shortly. "The camp is gone. I had to get you out of there. The dropship…the fire…it was massive. It took out most of them; hundreds of grounders. A few of our own." Explained Bellamy anxiously, looking over Melody's shoulder and into the darkened woods behind them. "Oh."

That meant that the war was over.

And that a large number of her friends were dead.

"We've got to keep going. We've got to get somewhere safe." Bellamy climbed to his feet and extended his hand for Melody.

She took it and stood up, a little bit wobbly.

"Safe? Where is _safe_?" Asked Melody, her lip quivering.

For the first time, she realized the devastation of the loss. They had no friends. No home. No food, no weapons, no ammo, no clothing, no shelter, and nowhere to go. They were by themselves, in a world that wanted them dead. As always, the odds were stacked against them.

"I don't know…but we'll have to find something." Bellamy reached out and pulled her close to him, placing both hands on her shoulders. "Chin up, sweetheart. Our time isn't up yet."

And yet, it felt like it was.

"Our time was up a long time ago, Bel."

Before Bellamy could respond, there was a loud shout in the distance. Not just any shout; a _wary cry. _And not just one; it was the sound of a group. Four, maybe five grounders, unanimously screaming.

They both froze in horror, standing stock still as they turned to face the forest's edge.

_Thu-thump, thu-thump, thu-thump._

The sound was growing closer and closer with every passing moment. Something beating against the ground, tearing through the trees, and heading straight for them.

"Horses." Whispered Melody, her green eyes wide with fright. "They're coming. I thought you said the fire took them out!"

"I said it took out _most _of them. They must have seen us running…damn it!" Bellamy grabbed her by the arm and took a step back, away from the trees. "We're being hunted, sweetheart. And there's no hope of outrunning them."

"We have to try." Melody turned to face the forest's edge once more, gazing anxiously through the gaps between the trees. She reached for her bow, but it wasn't on her back.

And then she remembered what happened.

"Go, Melody."

Bellamy shoved her away from him, in the opposite direction of the oncoming attack. When she stumbled, he rightened her once more and then gave her another, more gentle shove.

"Go!"

"Bellamy, no!" Melody shook her head furiously. "I'm not leaving you!"

Not now, not after everything.

"You have to!" Bellamy shouted back at her, gripping her arm once more and giving her another push in the 'right' direction.

"No!" She was adamant. "Together. Always."

"Melody, if something happened to you…I can't stand the thought." Bellamy shook his head, shivering. "Just run, okay? I'll lead them in the opposite direction. Buy you some time. And if all works out, we'll both circle around and meet back at camp at dawn, alright?"

"Bellamy, you can't!" More tears; crying was becoming an increasingly annoying habit.

"Melody." He reached out and cupped her cheek gently, stroking the damaged flesh. ""_Contrary to popular belief, you don't tell me what I can and cannot do_."

Her own words, thrown back in her face. Only when she'd said them, it had actually sounded rational.

"I can't lose you." She whispered. "You're all I have left."

"You _won't _lose me." He said firmly. "Dawn. I'll be waiting for you."

"And if you're not?" Questioned Melody, her voice breaking.

Bellamy smiled.

It was the kind of smile that was both happy and sad at the same time. The kind of smile that made Melody's heart sink, because she knew that no matter how much it teared him up, Bellamy was going to do what he thought he had to. Even if that meant getting himself killed. And he would do it, with a smile, because it meant keeping her safe. He'd do it a hundred times over, in fact, and she could see that now. Every fiber of his being seemed to scream it.

"If I'm not…" Bellamy leaned in close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "_May we meet again._"

**THE END**


	35. Author's Note

_Author's Note: _

Thank you all so much for your ongoing support of this story. The final chapter has been posted, and we've seen these precious babies through one hell of a whirlwind since they first landed on Earth. Thank you for joining me on this journey and for reading Melody's twisted tale. You support has meant everything to me, and I hope you've all come to know and love Melody just as well as I have.

Hopefully, we'll be seeing more of her very soon.


	36. Update

Update:

As I'm an incredibly impatient person, a sequel to this story is already under wraps. It may be a long process, it may not. While we wait to see more of our fiery heroine, you can follow me on my newly created tumblr : my-sweet-0bessions. *note that the o in obsessions is actually a zero. 0* (I also have a link on my profile.) I really don't know how to tumbl, but I would LOVE to be connected to you guys while this new story is under production. So yeah, if you want to follow feel free!


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